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V- 


THE  CRYSTAL  BUTTON 


OR,  ADVENTURES  OF   PAUL   PROGNOSIS 
IN   THE  FORTY-NINTH  CENTURY 


BY 

CHAUNCEY  THOMAS 

EDITED  BY 

GEORGE   HOUGHTON 


BOSTON    AND    NEW    YORK 
HOUGHTON,  MIFFLIN   AND   COMPANY 

1891 


Copyright,  1891, 
Bt  CHAUNCEY  THOMAS  and  GEORGE  HOUGHTON. 

All  rights  reserved 


The  Riverside  Press,  Cambridge,  Mass.,  U.S.  A. 
Electrotyped  and  Printed  by  H.  O.  Houghton  &  Co. 


"  The  assertion  that  the  sole  essential  quality  of  God's 
word  is  truth  brings  the  Eternal  Presence  into  instant 
communication  with  every  pure  spirit."  —  Rev.  Newton 
M.  Mann  in  A  Bational  View  of  the  Bible. 


V 


AUTHOR'S   PREFACE. 


Years  ago,  being  unduly  engrossed  by  busi- 
ness cares,  the  writer  became  aware  that  some 
sort  of  recreation  was  an  immediate  necessity. 
What  should  it  be  ?  It  must  be  something  with 
force  enough  to  lift  me  out  of  the  ruts  of  every- 
day life,  and  away  from  its  uncompromising 
facts,  its  obstacles  to  be  overcome,  and  its 
sloughs  of  anxiety  in  which  I  was  otherwise  lia- 
ble to  flounder.  Reading,  both  heavy  and  light, 
had  already  served  a  good  turn  as  a  sedative, 
but  this  proved  too  mild  treatment  as  a  means 
of  diverting  a  preoccupied  mind. 

Heroic  measures  were  finally  determined  upon 
in  the  form  of  close  study,  designed  as  a  counter- 
irritant.  A  congenial  subject  was  chosen  :  the 
material  and  mechanical  possibilities  of  the  fu- 
ture. Here  was  a  field  of  inquiry  limitless,  and 
with  scarcely  a  footprint.  Here,  the  inventor 
could  experiment  on  the  largest  scale,  with  no 


vi  AUTHOR'S  PREFACE. 

expense  for  models  or  patent-rights,  and  become 
completely  absorbed  in  his  self-imposed  task, 
with  no  one  to  criticise  his  schemes.  The  plan 
worked  admirably.  An  ideal  world  was  thus 
opened,  into  which  the  imagination  could  enter 
at  any  time  and  wander  serenely  amid  the  glit- 
tering sights  of  a  wonderland  ever  new,  and  with 
ever  shifting  scenes. 

This  agTceable  labor  occupied  many  leisure 
hours  between  the  years  1872  and  1878,  within 
which  period  the  substance  of  the  chapters  now 
gathered  together  in  the  form  of  a  connected 
narrative  was  gradually  committed  to  paper. 
Why  it  was  not  published  at  the  time  of  its 
completion  in  1878,  and  why,  at  last,  it  is  now 
offered  with  some  hope  that  it  may  tempt  the 
appetite  of  a  certain  class  of  readers,  even 
though  already  surfeited  by  imaginative  litera- 
ture, are  points  that  will  be  fully  explained  in 
the  accompanying  letter  by  the  Editor,  on 
whose  shoulders  rests  much  of  the  responsibility 
for  the  appearance  of  the  story  at  this  time  and 

in  its  present  form. 

Chauncey  Thomas. 

Boston,  Mass.,  March  3,  1890. 


EDITOR'S  PREFACE. 


OPEN  LETTER  TO  THE  PUBLISHERS. 

Dear  Sirs  :  —  For  three  months  past,  the  un- 
dersigned has  been  engaged  in  the  pleasant  task 
of  editing,  for  a  Boston  gentleman,  the  manu- 
script of  a  novel  entitled  "  The  Crj^stal  Button, 
or  Adventures  of  Paul  Prognosis  in  the  Forty- 
Ninth  Century,"  which  may  perhaps  commend 
itself  as  a  fitting  companion-piece  to  Mr.  Ed- 
ward Bellamy's  "  Looking  Backward." 

Of  course,  neither  author  nor  editor  has  any 
idea  that  it  will  rival  that  remarkable  produc- 
tion ;  but,  in  many  ways,  it  helps  to  supplement 
with  details  the  same  general  picture  of  future 
possibilities  that  Mr.  Bellamy  has  so  skillfully 
and  attractively  painted. 

Permit  me  to  state  briefly  that  the  present 
imaginative  work,  of  which  the  accompanying 
table  of  contents  will  give  some  idea,  was  written 


Vin  EDITOR'S  PREFACE. 

many  years  ago  by  the  well-known  coach-builder 
of  Boston.  The  thought  was  to  foreshadow  the 
future  possibilities  of  mechanical  and  material 
development ;  and  the  work  of  authorship  was 
entered  upon  as  a  means  of  diversion  from  the 
cares  of  business. 

The  original  manuscript,  now  before  me,  shows 
that  it  was  begun  in  1872,  and  that  the  author 
wrote  the  closing  page  on  February  9,  1878. 
The  slight  story,  now  cut  in  two  and  used  as 
"  Introduction  "  and  "  Conclusion,"  was  written 
somewhat  later,  but  bears  no  date. 

About  the  year  1880,  the  author  showed  me 
this  manuscript,  and  asked  advice  whether  it  was 
suitable  for  publication  in  book  form.  I  read  it 
with  great  interest,  but  reported  that,  in  my 
humble  opinion,  it  needed  and  well  merited 
somewhat  more  finish,  and  also  required  to  be 
sustained  by  some  sort  of  narrative.  It  is  to  be 
feared  that  this  report  served  to  shelve  it,  for  I 
heard  nothing  more  about  it  until  I  read  Mr. 
Bellamy's  book  in  August  of  last  year,  when  its 
remarkable  similarity  in  general  scheme  to  that 
of  "  The  Crystal  Button  "  led  me  to  request  an 
opportunity  to  re-read  the  latter.    As  a  result  of 


EDITORS  PREFACE.  IX 

the  correspondence  that  followed,  the  author  ex- 
pressed willingness  to  make  it  public,  providing 
I  would  undertake  the  work  of  rearranging  and 
editing  it,  which  agreeable  task  is  now  approach- 
ing a  finish. 

I  believe  it  to  be  a  good  book,  in  every  way 
helpful  and  stimulating,  decidedly  practical  in 
many  of  its  suggestions,  and  covering  a  great 
variety  of  topics  that  seem  to  me  to  appeal  to 
the  interests  of  large  classes  of  readers. 

Its  chief  defect,  if  such  it  may  be  called,  is 
the  fact,  already  stated,  that  its  general  scheme 
so  closely  resembles  that  of  Mr.  Bellamy's  book 
that  it  would  be  difficult  to  convince  the  public 
of  its  priority,  —  a  task  I  should  shrink  from  un- 
dertaking, although  I  know  it  to  be  a  fact.  It 
is  unfortunate  that  its  scene  should  likewise  be 
laid  in  Boston ;  but  there  seems  no  sufficient 
justification  for  an  editor's  attempting  to  change 
the  locality,  especially  in  view  of  the  danger  of 
complicating  numerous  references  that  might 
easily  be  made  inexplicable. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  author  departs  from 
Mr.  Bellamy's  track  by  dealing  mainly  with 
mechanical  and   material   development,  as   the 


X  EDITOR'S  PREFACE. 

table  of  contents  clearly  shows;  and  just  here 
he  naturally  possesses  originality  and  strength, 
being  one  of  the  ablest  mechanics  and  inventors 
that  the  American  coach  trade  has  thus  far  pro- 
duced. It  is  only  near  the  close,  in  the  chapters 
entitled  "  Law,"  "  Government,"  and  "  Money," 
that  he  enters  Mr.  Bellamy's  field,  and  he  does 
so  by  cross-paths.  To  the  suggestion  that  the 
introduction  of  certain  notes  in  passing  might 
help  to  emphasize  or  supplement  some  of  Mr. 
Bellamy's  views,  the  author  has  not  only  pro- 
hibited this,  but  also  requested  the  removal,  so 
far  as  possible,  of  everything  in  his  original 
manuscript  that  might  suggest  parallelism  with 
any  ideas  presented  in  "  Looking  Backward,'* 
although,  at  the  same  time,  he  expresses  general 
approval  of  the  ideas  therein  advanced. 

In  the  judgment  of  the  editor,  however,  the 
all-important  point  of  the  present  book  is  its 
theory  of  the  simple  but  effective  means  by 
which  the  world  finally  attains  the  high  level  of 
the  new  civilization,  which  is  described  through 
the  teachings  of  a  reformer  known  as  elohn  Cos- 
tor,  whose  text  is  ever  "Truth !  Truth  !  "  It  is 
Costor's  emblem,  the  crystal  button,  that  very 


EDITOR'S  PREFACE.  xi 

fittingly  gives  the  title  to  the  book.  Upon  this 
foundation  of  truth,  exerting  its  benign  influence 
in  wholly  peaceful  ways  through  the  instrumen- 
tality of  the  individual,  the  family,  social  life, 
the  arts,  the  government,  and  finally  through  the 
grand  consolidation  of  all  governments,  he  erects 
the  pillars  of  his  ideal  state.  Whatever  Social- 
ism and  Nationalism  may  or  may  not  accom- 
plish, this  lesson  of  truth-loving  and  truth-ob- 
serving is  certainly  a  kind  of  seed  that  can  hardly 
fail  to  produce  good  fruit,  whatever  the  soil  on 
which  it  may  chance  to  alight.  In  this,  as  you 
will  observe,  consists  the  moral  force  of  the 
book. 

Please  pardon  the  length  of  this  letter,  but  I 
feel  desirous  to  do  my  duty,  as  far  as  I  am  able, 
in  adequately  introducing  the  work  to  your  atten- 
tion ;  and,  with  your  permission,  it  will  give  me 
pleasure  to  submit  the  manuscript  to  you  as  soon 
as  it  is  completed. 

Very  respectfully  yours, 

George  Houghton. 

YoNKERS,  New  York,  February  10,  1890. 


CONTENTS. 


Author's  Preface v 

Editor's  Preface vii 

PART  I.     INTRODUCTION. 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.  Paul  Prognosis  meets  with  an  Accident  1 

II.  Paul,  bids  his  Wife  "  Good-Night  "       .    .  9 

PART    11.     A  DAY'S    RAMBLE  WITH    PROFESSOR 
PROSPER. 

III.  Paul's  Remarkable  Introduction  to  the 

City  of  Tone " 15 

IV.  Paul  makes  the   Acquaintance   of  Pro- 

fessor Prosper 19 

V.  The    Expected   Advent    of  a   Celestial 

Visitor 27 

VI.  Three  Thousand  Years 35 

VII.  The  Tower  of  Peace  and  Good- Will  .    .  41 

VIII.  A  Bird's-Eye  View  of  the  City  ....  48 

IX.  The  Underground  Railway 55 

X.   The  Hospital 66 

XI.  The  Pyramids 75 

XII.  A  Dinner  at  the  Restaurant     ....  89 

XIII.  The  Meeting  of  the  School  of  Sciences  98 

XIV.  A  Glimpse  of  Country  Life 112 


xiv  CONTENTS. 

PART  III.    THE  CRYSTAL  BUTTON. 

XV.  The  Library 128 

XVI.  The  Downfall  of  Old  Forms 139 

XVII.  Appearance  of  John  Costor,   the  Apos- 
tle OF  Truth 147 

XVIII.   The  Order  of  the  Crystal  Button    .    .  160 
XIX.   The  New  Civilization 168 

PART  IV.    A  DAY'S  RAMBLE  WITH  MARCO 
MORTIMER. 

XX.  The  Standard  Peitdulum 173 

XXI.   The  Air-Ship 181 

XXII.  Meridian  Peak  Observatory 187 

XXIII.  The  Transcontinental  Railway  ....  193 

XXIV.  Mount  Energy 207 

XXV.   The  Solar  Steam- Works 215 

XXVI.   The  Palace  of  the  Sun 220 

PART  V.    THE  CELESTIAL  VISITOR. 

XXVII.   An  Evening  at  Home .  231 

XXVIII.   The  Administration  of  Law 240 

XXIX.   The  Government  of  Settled  Forms    .    .  254 

XXX.  Money 263 

XXXI.   The  Passage  of  the  Comet 276 

PART  VI.    CONCLUSION. 

XXXII.  A  Ray  of  Moonlight 283 

XXXIIL  Sunlight,  AND  "Good-Morning!"     .    .    .290 

Postscript 299 


THE  CRYSTAL  BUTTON. 


PART  I. 

INTRODUCTION. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Paul  Prognosis  meets  with  an  Accident. 

"  Mamma,  is  n't  it  a  nice  Christmas  present  ? 
Don't  you  think  papa  will  like  it  ?  " 

"  I  'm  sure  he  will,  dear." 

The  door-bell  gave  a  sudden  sharp  alarum  that 
was  like  a  scream.  Mrs.  Prognosis  sprang  from 
her  chair.  "  I  suppose,"  she  said,  "  it 's  another 
telegram  asking  your  father  to  hurry  over  to 
the  broken  drawbridge.  But  he  must  be  there 
by  this  time.  I  do  wish  they  would  give  Paul 
an  hour's  rest  on  this  day  before  Christmas." 
She  went  to  the  door,  her  daughter  following. 

"  Your  pardon,  ma'am,"  sj^oke  up  a  hoarse 
voice,  "  but  I  've  bad  news  for  you." 

"  Bad  news  ?     Oh,  about  the  broken   draw  ? 


2  TtlK    CRYHTAL   BUTT  OX. 

I  know  about  that.  My  husband  is  at  the 
bridge  now,  attending  to  repairs." 

"  It 's  another  sort  of  bad  news  that  I  'm 
l^ringing  you,  ma'am." 

'^  Another  sort  ?  Paul  —  my  husband  —  what 
has  hap2:)ened  to  him?     Is  he  in  any  trouble? 

—  is  he  dead  ?  Tell  me,  man,  is  Paul  Progno- 
sis dead  ?  " 

"  No,  not  dead,  ma'am  ;  but  he  's  been  hurt." 
"-  How  ?  —  Where  ?  —  At  the  bridge  ?     I  will 
go  with  you  to  him." 

"  He  is  coming  to  you.  They  are  bringing 
him  to  you.  No,  ma'am,  you  must  n't  go."  He 
put  up  liis  left  hand,  in  which  he  held  his 
cap,  as  if  to  detain  her ;  then  dropped  it  respect- 
fully, and  repeated  with  a  jjleading  voice,  while 
tears  trickled  down  his  pockmarked  cheeks : 
"  No,  no !  ma'am,  you  must  n't  go.  Dr.  Clark- 
son  is  coming,  and  he  sent  me  to  tell  you  about 
it." 

"  Tell  me  quickly,  then,  and  tell  me  the  truth." 

They   stood   close   together   on   the   trellised 

doorstoop  of  the  contractor's  house,  on   one   of 

the  steep  hill-streets  in  the  older  part  of  the  city 

—  the  slight  woman  with  her  earnest,  troubled 
face,  to  whose  skirts  clung  the  shivering  child, 
and  the  coatless  workman,  dripping  wet,  and  with 
particles  of  ice  in  his  beard  and  long  hair.  His 
right  hand  was  concealed  in  a  handkerchief,  and 


THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON.  3 

a  dark  stain  gradually  spread  about  its  folds, 
until  a  scarlet  drop  fell  upon  the  icy  coating  of 
the  stoop.  But  Mrs.  Prognosis  did  not  notice 
this,  and  the  man  made  no  allusion  to  it.  The 
December  wind  that  whistled  through  the  lattice- 
work and  dead  leafage,  chasing  little  whirls  of 
fine  snow,  was  biting  cold ;  but  only  the  child 
seemed  to  feel  it.  "  Patty,  go  indoors,  and  wait 
for  mamma.','     The  child  silently  obeyed. 

"  You  see,  ma'am,  there  was  an  accident  at 
the  bridge,  where  the  Boss  put  in  his  new  patent 
draw  last  summer.  A  schooner,  loaded  with 
lumber,  got  caught  by  the  tide  and  jammed  in, 
side  on,  and  chocked  the  draw  so  that  the  keeper 
could  n't  work  her  back,  and  travel  was  stopped. 
They  sent  for  the  Boss,  and  he  and  I  —  I  'm  his 
foreman,  ma'am — were  at  work  down  below 
there,  when  Jake  Cummings,  —  you  know  him, 
perhaps  —  he  's  the  draw-keeper,  an  old  fellow 
with  rheumatism,  and  five  children,  and  the  old 
woman  dead  a  twelvemonth,  —  he  slipped  on  one 
of  the  guys,  and  pitched  head-foremost  in  among 
the  ice." 

"  Yes,  yes  —  but  my  husband  ?  " 
"  Well,  the  skipper  on  the  schooner  threw  a 
rope  to  the  old  man  as  he  drifted  past,  but  he 
missed  it,  and  went  downstream  with  the  cur- 
rent. Then  the  Boss  plunged  in  and  followed 
him,  swimming  hand  over  hand  in  a  way  that 


4  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

made  the  crowd  cheer.  There  they  both  were,  in 
among  the  ice-cakes  and  some  floating  logs  and 
lumber  that  had  got  loose  from  the  schooner ; 
and  the  Boss  soon  had  hold  of  Jake,  but  lio 
could  n't  seem  to  make  any  headway  when  ho 
turned  upstream.  When  I  saw  that,  in  I  went 
too,  with  Smudge  at  my  heels ;  and  we  ail 
brought  up  in  a  bunch,  with  the  ice  crunching 
about  us,  and  a  small  boat  from  the  schooner, 
that  was  trying  to  get  at  us,  shoving  the  drift 
against  our  shoulders.  It  looked  like  we  had 
seen  our  last  Christmas,  the  whole  lot  of  us,  dog 
and  all.  Well,  at  last,  I  —  we  got  him  out  and 
aboard  the  boat." 

"  Who  —  who  was  it  you  got  out  ?  " 

*'  The  Boss,  ma'am." 

"  Thank  God  !    and  thank  you,  my  friend  !  " 

"  And  Smudge,  too  ;  he  ought  to  be  thanked. 
He  stuck  to  the  Boss  through  it  all.  As  for  old 
Jake,  1  could  n't  get  at  him." 

"  And  my  husband  did  n't  succeed  in  saving 
him,  after  ail  ?  " 

"That  I  don't  know." 

"  He  must  have.     Paul  always  succeeds." 

"  I  hope  so,  ma'am.  Smudge  went  in  again 
after  the  old  man.  As  for  me,  I  could  n't  see 
much  after  I  got  aboard  the  schooner,  till  Dr. 
Clarkson  poured  something  hot  into  me.  Ho 
will  tell  us.     Here  they  come." 


THE    CRYSTAL    BUTTON.  D 

Without  another  word  the  woman  ran  to  meet 
the  approaching  file  of  men,  bowed  by  the  weight 
they  bore  between  them  on  an  improvised 
stretcher.  Every  hat  came  off  as  she  drew 
near.  It  was  growing  dusky  now,  so  she  could 
scarcely  distinguish  the  white  face  that  lay 
there,  but  she  kissed  the  cold  lips,  shivered,  and 
gave  a  piteous  look  toward  Dr.  Clarkson,  who 
only  said  :  ''  Have  courage,  Mrs.  Prognosis.  I 
think  a  warm  bed  is  all  that  is  needed."  She 
stooped,  and  clasped  in  hers  one  of  the  cold 
hands,  that  gave  no  response.  In  that  hand, 
clenched,  while  all  else  hung  nerveless,  she 
found  a  little  rag  of  linen,  with  a  buttonhole,  in 
which  clung  a  small  glass  button.  She  thrust 
this  in  her  bosom,  again  took  the  chilly  palm  in 
her?,  and  accompanied  the  procession  of  silent 
men  as  they  mounted  the  stoop  and  the  front 
staircase  to  the  south  chamber,  where  a  few 
neighbors  gave  what  assistance  they  could,  un- 
der the  direction  of  the  doctor,  and  then  quietly 
retired.  Beside  the  bed  sat  Smudge,  the  only 
spectator. 

For  the  next  hour.  Dr.  Clarkson  kept  the 
tearless  wife  busily  employed  in  doing  whatever 
small  tasks  he  could  think  of,  whether  helpful  or 
not,  and  especially  such  as  related  to  her  child. 
He  saw  that  she  was  calm  —  so  calm  that  a 
stranger  might  have  misjudged  her.  But  the 
family  physician  knew. 


0  THE    CRYSTAL    BUTTON. 

Just  before  midnight,  when  breathing  had 
been  fully  restored,  he  left  her,  saying :  "  I  find 
no  injury  of  any  kind.  He  no  doubt  received  a 
severe  blow  on  the  head  from  the  ice  or  a  drift- 
ing log,  though  I  do  not  find  even  a  scalp-wound. 
What  the  result  will  be,  I  cannot  now  foretell. 
But  keep  up  courage,  Mrs.  Prognosis.  I  have 
known  your  husband  many  years.  He  is  a 
strong  man,  in  robust  health,  with  everything  in 
his  favor,  and  I  believe  he  will  be  spared  to  you 
unharmed.  Fact  is,  a  man  like  that  we  can't 
very  well  get  along  without.  Everybody  respects 
him,  and  the  only  ones  who  ever  disliked  him 
were  a  few  malcontents  who,  at  one  time,  ima- 
gined they  had  reason  to  fear  his  truth-telling. 
But  some  of  these  very  men  are  now  his  best 
friends.  There 's  that  Tom  Haggerty,  for  in- 
stance, —  he  followed  in  after  him  with  Smudge, 
and  I  hardly  know  which  proved  the  better 
water-dog.  Well,  he  seems  to  be  perfectly  com- 
fortable for  the  present.  To-morrow  morning 
we  shall  know  more  about  the  case.  In  the 
mean  time  I  leave  him  in  your  care.  I  can  do 
nothing  further  to-night,  and  you  can  do  nothing 
but  watch,  wait,  and  hope.  He  helped  to  save 
old  man  Cummings  like  a  hero,  as  he  is ;  and  I 
think  he  '11  be  able  to  receive  thanks  in  person 
before  the  holidays  are  over.  I  hope  so  —  I  be- 
lieve so.     Good-night." 


THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON.  7 

In  the  stillness  of  that  night  before  Christ- 
mas, Mary  Prognosis  thus  found  herself  in  her 
chamber  alone  with  her  husband  —  with  him, 
and  yet  alone,  for,  up  to  this  time,  he  had  given 
no  sign  of  life  other  than  his  breathing  and  a 
low  sigh  now  and  then.  Yet  still  not  wholly 
alone,  for  in  the  next  room  she  could  also  hear 
the  breathing  of  her  child  —  their  child.  "  O 
God,  spare  my  child's  father !  "  She  knelt  be- 
side him,  and  felt  relief  as  a  few  tears  gushed 
from  her  eyes.  "  This  will  never  do  !  —  I  must 
be  strong." 

She  passed  downstairs  and  locked  the  doors 
of  the  house ;  listened  to  the  buffets  of  snow 
against  the  windows ;  went  into  the  child^s 
room  and  put  the  little  hands  under  the  cover- 
let ;  and  again  returned  to  her  husband's  bed- 
side, where  the  dog  still  kept  patient  vigil.  The 
bell  in  the  city-hall  boomed  the  first  hour. 
She  looked  at  the  watch  that  had  been  taken 
from  the  drenched  clothing.  The  hands  re- 
corded thirteen  minutes  past  three.  That  stilled 
minute-hand  must  have  stopped  just  there  when 
the  crash  came.  She  found  the  key,  and  was 
about  to  wind  it  —  and  then,  suddenly  chang- 
ing her  mind,  shut  it  in  a  little  jewel  case.  Re-^ 
opening  the  case,  she  put  beside  it  the  glass  but- 
ton, and  then  turned  a  key  on  both. 

How  cold  it  was !     She  spread  another  blanket 


8  THE    CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

on  the  bed.  As  she  did  so,  the  sleeper  turned 
himself  wearily,  opened  his  eyes  and  raised  them 
to  hers  with  a  confused  look,  that  gradually 
calmed  into  a  faint  smile  ;  and  he  made  a  move- 
ment with  his  hand  to  take  hers.  Then,  with  a 
voice  somewhat  strange  from  weakness,  he  asked, 
with  a  pause  after  each  word  :  "Is  —  Jake  — 
all —  right?" 

"  Jake  is  all  right,  dear.'^ 

*"  Then  all 's  well.  I  am  very  tired.  Good- 
night, darling." 

"  Good-night.'* 


CHAPTER  n. 

Paul  hids  Ms  Wife  "  Good-nightJ' 

From  the  time  of  that  accident  on  Christmas 
Eve,  Paul  Prognosis  never  spoke  an  intelligible 
word,  and  never  showed  a  sign  of  recognition  of 
those  about  him,  for  a  period  of  ten  years.  His 
life  was  spared,  and  his  general  health  continued 
good,  but  the  current  of  his  thought  was  broken. 
Was  it  broken,  or  merely  diverted  ?  Could  a 
man,  having  the  intelligence  and  training  of 
Paul  Prognosis,  lose  all  power  of  connected 
thought  while  the  engine  of  his  heart  still  per- 
formed its  functions,  and  his  brain,  apparently 
uninjured,  continued  to  receive  its  full  supply  of 
vitalized  fluid?  Could  concussion  of  the  brain 
mean  death  to  its  tissues,  while  every  other  part 
of  his  body  throbbed  with  vigorous  life  ? 

From  boyhood,  he  had  displayed  a  degree  of 
mechanical  knowledge  that  was  closely  allied  to 
the  intuition  of  a  genius.  His  friends  called 
him  such  ;  if  he  had  foes,  they  probably  thought 
him  a  "  crank,"  but  no  one  ever  heard  that  term 
applied   to   him.      The    small    competency   his 


10  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

father  left  him,  he  had  devoted  to  gaining  in- 
struction in  his  chosen  pursuit.  He  had  next 
worked  in  the  car-shops,  and  been  gradually 
promoted  until  he  became  master-mechanic,  and 
then  mechanical  engineer.  In  every  position  he 
occupied,  he  soon  became  master  of  it.  The 
more  abstruse  the  problem  presented  to  him,  the 
greater  the  pleasure  he  found  in  solving  it. 
His  inventions  were  numbered  by  scores,  and 
many  of  these  were  patented  ;  but  he  seldom  took 
much  further  interest  in  a  question  he  had  once 
answered  to  his  own  satisfaction.  He  would 
hand  the  patent-j^apers  to  his  wife,  saying: 
"  Well,  Molly,  you  're  a  better  hand  than  I  am 
at  keeping  things  safe  and  snug.  Put  this 
where  you  can  find  it,  and  it  may  perhaps  come 
handy  some  rainy  day." 

Later,  he  began  to  be  called  on  by  corpora- 
tions all  over  the  country  to  act  as  an  expert  in 
matters  requiring  mechanical  keenness,  and  he 
finally  left  the  car-shops,  to  become  a  contrac- 
tor on  his  own  account.  Thus  far,  he  had  not 
realized  the  profits  he  deserved.  But  his  fame 
was  worth  a  fortune,  and  he  was  just  beginning 
to  understand  how  it  might  be  coined.  And 
now,  to  be  struck  down  in  his  thirty-fifth  year, 
with  the  best  part  of  his  life  before  him  and 
everything  to  live  for,  —  and  from  no  fault  of 
his  own,  but  the  reverse,  —  all  who  knew  him 


THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON.  11 

agreed  that  it  was  one  of  those  dispensations  of 
Providence  that  are  unintelligible  to  those  who 
have  confidence  in  divine  justice  and  compassion. 

For  a  time  his  friends  showed  active  S3mipa- 
thy  for  him  and  for  the  woman  who  was  well- 
nigh  a  widow,  and  also  for  the  daughter  who 
might  as  well  have  been  fatherless.  But  the 
months  became  years,  and  calls  for  sympathy  in 
other  directions  were  many  and  pressing,  and 
people  gradually  ceased  to  remember  the  Boss's 
misfortune  —  all  but  Dr.  Clarkson.  Oh !  old 
Jake,  he  never  forgot ;  but  he  was  too  old  and 
too  poor  to  do  more  than  look  and  speak  his 
sympathy. 

And  the  wife  ?  She  hoped  against  hope  until 
it  died  in  her  heart,  and  then  set  herself  to  work 
to  eke  out  the  small  quarterly  income  she  re- 
ceived from  his  annuity,  and  to  give  her  daugh- 
ter such  training  as  she  knew  he  would  have  ap- 
proved. 

So  the  years  slowly  wore  on,  bringing  many 
another  Christmas  eve  and  morn,  but  the  man 
who  had  been  a  master  among  men  now  looked 
upon  the  faces  of  his  nearest  and  dearest,  and 
knew  them  not ;  looked  upon  the  electrical  en- 
gine which  his  ov/n  hands  had  made,  and  which 
at  last  began  to  find  work  wherever  there  was 
work  to  do,  and  saw  not  that  it  was  an  engine  ; 
gazed  from  undulled  eyes,  and  with  a  contented 


12  THE    CRYSTAL    BUTTON. 

smile  upon  his  lips,  but  gave  no  sif^n  of  recogni- 
tion to  anything  around  him.  He  spoke  — 
spoke  often  and  connectedly,  but  seldom  respon- 
sively.  "  Thank  you,"  he  would  say  to  Dr. 
Clarkson ;  "  your  conversation,  Professor,  in- 
terests me  exceedingly.  I  do  not  think  I  fully 
follow  you  in  your  description,  but  the  mechani- 
cal progress  you  indicate  suggests  wonderful 
development  since  the  plodding  steps  of  inquiry 
pursued  in  my  day."  The  Doctor  often  sought 
to  lead  him  further  when  he  spoke  in  this  man- 
ner ;  but  he  would  branch  off  into  some  irrele- 
vant remark,  such  as :  "  Wonderful,  indeed ! 
but  it  precisely  fills  a  need  that  we  felt  in  the 
nineteenth  century.  I  see  that  it  means  econ- 
omy of  energy  as  well  as  of  time." 

When,  in  the  later  years,  the  Doctor's  son  Will 
became  a  frequent  visitor  at  the  house,  he  always 
addressed  him  as  Marco,  and  often  appealed  to 
the  young  man  for  information  in  regard  to  the 
workings  of  anything  he  happened  to  hold  in 
his  hand,  seeming  to  regard  it  as  some  mechani- 
cal wonder.  To  his  imagination,  a  waste-basket 
became  a  colossal  tower  ;  a  toy  wagon,  a  railway 
train  ;  his  wife's  jewel-box,  a  mammoth  tenement 
house  ;  or  so  it  seemed  to  those  around  him, 
judging  from  his  fragmentary  comments.  All 
faces,  all  things,  were  changed  to  him,  but  ap- 
parently in  no  way  unpleasantl3\     He  took  un- 


THE  CRYSTAL  BUTTON.  13 

tiring  interest  in  every  new  object  to  which  his 
attention  was  called,  and  the  same  object  always 
retained  the  new  guise  in  which  he  first  viewed 
it.  The  same  waste-basket  was  always  the  same 
colossal  tower.  The  only  living  thing  that  seemed 
to  maintain  quite  the  same  relations  in  his  in- 
ner as  in  his  outer  world,  and  that  he  always 
called  correctly  by  name,  was  his  dog  Smudge. 
Smudge  was  his  constant  companion,  both  in  the 
street  and  in  the  house  ;  and  the  intelligent  de- 
votion of  the  dog  was  such  that  Dr.  Clarkson 
was  wont  to  remark  that  "  Smudge  evidently 
lives  in  dreamland  as  well  as  his  master.  And," 
he  would  add,  "  it  must  be  a  pleasant  sort  of 
place  to  live  in,  for  a  happier  couple  of  friends 
you  won't  find  in  all  Boston." 

It  was  quite  clear  that  the  windows  of  Paul's 
mental  dwelling-place  were  closely  shuttered. 
But  inside  those  darkened  shutters  —  what  was 
going  on  there?  There  was  life  still  there. 
And  why  not  ?  If  nothing  material  can  be  ut- 
terly destroyed  —  not  even  the  delicate  fabric 
of  this  rice-paper,  which  burns  and  leaves 
no  ash  —  how  much  less  should  we  expect  to  see 
the  immaterial  blotted  out  of  existence.  Was 
the  precious  knowledge,  so  laboriously  stored 
beneath  the  white  dome  of  Paul's  rugged  fore- 
head, thus  instantaneously  annihilated  ?  Might 
not  the  swift  current  of  his  mental  activity,  acci- 


14  THE  CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

dentally  diverted  from  its  normal  confines,  have 
made  for  itself  an  underground  course,  where 
no  eye,  however  sympathetic,  could  follow  its  se- 
cret windings?  Might  not  his  former  projects 
in  the  realm  of  mechanics,  and  his  prophecies 
that  others  had  considered  wild  fancies,  —  might 
not  these,  when  no  longer  fettered  by  limitations 
of  matter  and  mechanical  means,  have  finally 
materialized  ?  Might  not  his  could  he  of  yester- 
day have  become  the  now  is  f  Might  not  all 
possibilities  he  formerly  dreamed  have  thrown 
aside  their  shadowy  veils  and  become  realized 
in  the  domain  he  now  occupied,  where  thought 
could  be  continued  uninterruptedly  and  unhin- 
dered ?  Might  not  the  occasional  mutterings  of 
his  lips,  although  unintelligible  to  his  hearers, 
be  vague  hints  from  a  world  unseen  and  un- 
known to  those  around  him,  yet  none  the  less 
real  to  him  ?  So  Dr.  Clarkson  sometimes 
thought,  and  so  he  once  told  the  weeping  wife 
when  she  confessed  to  him  that  all  hope  had  left 
her.  Was  it  not  within  reason  to  consider  that 
last  greeting  :  "  Good-night,  darling  !  "  a  token 
that  life  still  flickered  in  the  paralyzed  brain 
after  the  injur}^  and  a  prophecy  that,  under  fa- 
vorable conditions,  it  might  some  time  flash  again 
and  disclose  the  guest  of  the  darkened  chamber 
once  more  himself  —  once  more  Paul  Prognosis, 
the  mechanical  expert  —  with  a '' Good-morn- 
j  ing !  "  on  his  lips? 


PART  II. 

A   DAY'S   RAMBLE   WITH    PROFESSOR 
PROSPER. 


CHAPTER   III. 

PauVs  Remarkable   Introduction  to  the   City 
of  Tone. 

"  Well,  as  my  name  's  Paul  Prognosis,  this  is 
a  pretty  predicament  for  a  respectable  citizen 
of  Boston  to  find  himself  in,  tramping  about  the 
streets  at  day-dawn,  and  with  nothing  bnt  a 
niohto:own  on.  And  cold  —  it  is  cold!  I  must 
get  into  one  of  these  houses  by  some  means.  I 
wonder  where  my  house  is  !  And  where  am  I  ?  — 
that 's  a  still  more  important  question." 

He  looked  about  him  in  search  of  a  doorway 
that  might  serve  as  a  haven.  To  his  surprise, 
he  found  himself  standing  in  a  public  square, 
that  was  wholly  unfamiliar  to  him,  surrounded 
by  buildings  vast  and  magnificent.  Everywhere 
novelty,  everywhere  order,  everywhere  beauty ! 
Great  structures  on  every  side,  aglow  with  the 
morning   sunshine,  apj^alled   him   by  their  ma- 


16  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

jestic  proportions ;  while  unbroken  vistas  of 
wide  avenues,  opening  up  on  every  side,  revealed 
the  extent  and  grandeur  of  the  city.  With  eyes 
of  wonder  he  gazed  upon  colonnades,  triumphal 
arches,  monuments,  towers,  facades  alive  with 
sculptured  decorations,  and  domes  like  cumulus 
clouds  that  wall  the  horizon.  And  in  the  cen- 
tre of  the  square  rose  a  white  column  that 
pierced  the  very  zenith. 

Such  harmony  and  richness  of  color  on  every 
side  —  was  mortal  ever  before  permitted  to  gaze 
upon  them !  such  elegance  of  form,  yet  appar- 
ently so  substantial  —  such  graceful  and  dream- 
like proportions  throughout  all  these  vast  archi- 
tectural piles ! 

"  This  is  all  very  well,  but  I  must  find  a  place 
where  I  can  dress  and  warm  myself." 

Something  warm  touched  his  hand.  He  gave 
a  spring  to  escape,  but  the  warmth  continued  — 
it  was  the  warmth  of  breath.  He  looked  down, 
and  gave  a  joyful  cry.  "  Why,  Smudge,  old 
fellow !  You  are  indeed  a  friend  in  need. 
You  '11  lead  me  home,  won't  you  ?  " 

But  Smudge  merely  gazed  up  into  his  face, 
and  made  no  movement  to  lead  anywhere. 

"  I  believe.  Smudge,  that  you  are  lost  too. 
We  are  both  lost.  Where  have  we  been,  and 
where  have  we  now  come  to  ?  Did  I  lead  you, 
or  did  you    lead   me  ?     In   any  case  we  're   in 


THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON.  17 

trouble  now  together ;  and,  whatever  further  hap- 
pens, we  must  stand  by  one  another.  But  this 
is  certainly  the  most  beautiful  architectural  dis- 
play I  ever  saw.  If  this  is  Boston,  then  I  'm  no 
Boston ian.  But  where,  then,  can  we  have  got  to  ?  '* 

He  involuntarily  glanced  down  to  see  if  the 
street  was  paved  with  gold. 

'No,  this  is  not  the  new  Jerusalem." 

At  this  moment  his  attention  was  attracted 
by  multitudes  of  oddly  dressed  people,  who 
thronged  the  sidewalks,  even  brushing  against 
him.  Strangely  enough,  he  had  not  before  no- 
ticed them ;  and,  still  more  strangely,  his  previ- 
ous obliviousness  to  their  presence  did  not  ex- 
cite his  surprise.  It  was  enough  that  they  were 
there,  and  that  some  one  would  now  be  able  to 
afford  him  shelter. 

"But  are  they  men  and  boys,  or  men,  women, 
and  boys?  And  if  the  latter,  which  are  the 
boys  and  which  the  women  ?  They  all  seem  to 
be  dressed  very  much  alike.  And  how  hand- 
some they  all  are  !  This  one  must  be  a  girl. 
Dear  me,  what  a  pretty  face !  But  who  ever 
saw  such  queer  clothes  ?  Yet  they  are  as  sim- 
ple and  becoming  as  they  are  queer." 

These  observations,  renewed  the  unpleasant 
remembrance  that  he  himself  was  in  undress 
uniform,  and  he  gathered  his  gown  about  him, 
crouched  within  it,  and  withdrew  to  an  archway. 


18  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

"  I  would  n't  mind  exchanging  this  costume 
for  one  just  like  theirs.  What  must  these  peo- 
ple think  of  me  ?  I  shall  certainly  be  arrested 
if  I  don't  succeed  soon  in  finding  my  house,  or 
somebody's  house."  >^ 

And  he  continued  to  creep  along  stealthily,  \ 
vainly  tr^^ing  to  hide  himself  in  corners  and  i 
doorways,  while  the  blaze  of  day  grew  steauily 
brighter,  and  the  populace  passed  to  and  fro  in 
increasing  numbers.  Very  strangely,  however, 
no  one  gave  the  slightest  attention  to  him.  In- 
deed, they  did  not  seem  to  notice  him  any  more 
than  if  he  were  an  impalpable  spirit.  But  he 
knew  they  would,  and  a  terror  began  to  possess 
him  that  he  would  be  stoned  and  beaten.  Stand- 
ing about  in  this  way  would  never  do.  He  be- 
gan to  run  —  to  run  wildly.  Smudge  bounding 
beside  him,  up  and  down  unending  streets  and 
avenues,  until  the  breath  was  well-nigh  out  of 
his  body,  —  until  a  brazen  gateway  suddenly 
opened  before  him  without  effort  on  his  part, 
and  he  darted  through  it,  then  up  a  broad  wind- 
ing staircase,  through  another  open  doorway, 
and  found  himself,  with  Smudge  at  his  side,  in 
the  midst  of  a  snug  library,  where  the  warmth 
of  an  open  fire  cheered  his  eyes,  and  where,  face 
to  face  with  him,  sat  an  elderly  man  at  a  table 
littered  with  papers,  occupied  with  inspecting 
/  what  appeared  to  be  a  small  coffee-mill. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Paul  makes  the  Acquaintance  of  Professor 
Prosper. 

The  gentleman  whom  he  thus  unceremoniously 
confronted  did  not  notice  him  at  first,  and  he 
tried  to  attract  attention  by  speaking,  but  not  a 
word  could  he  utter.  At  length,  he  laid  his 
hand  on  the  gentleman's  shoulder,  and  with 
great  effort  managed  to  find  his  voice,  though  it 
startled  him  by  its  harsh  and  far-away  sound ; 
his  words  seemed  to  him  to  have  that  strained 
formality  that  one  hears  from  a  prisoner  at  the 
bar,  addressing  the  judge. 

"  I  beg  pardon,  sir,  for  this  intrusion,  which 
must  appear  to  you  wholly  unwarrantable,  but  I 
have  lost  my  clothes,  and  do  not  know  where  I 
am.     Can  you  please  direct  me,  sir  ?  " 

The  old  gentleman  looked  up  without  any 
visible  surprise  —  certainly  without  any  appear- 
ance of  annoyance.  He  made  no  reply,  but 
seemed  as  if  waiting  to  have  the  question  re- 
peated. Paul  again  made  an  apology  for  his 
appearance,  and  again  humbly  asked  for  assist- 
ance in  finding  his  way. 


20  THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON. 

"  Wliy,  this  is  odd,"  said  the  gentleman  at 
last,  using  a  strange  accent  and  a  language  that 
was  not  quite  familiar  to  Paul,  although  he 
found  that  he  could  understand  it  readily  enough, 
— "  you  are  talking  in  Old  English,  and  you 
speak  as  though  you  were  well  acquainted  with 
it.  I  thought  I  was  the  only  living  man  who 
could  do  that."  Then  he  added,  reflectively  : 
"  Poor  fellow,  he  must  have  escaped  from  some 
madhouse.  But  he  sj^eaks  Old  English  remark- 
ably well  —  better,  I  admit  it  —  much  better 
than  I  can." 

There  suddenly  occurred  to  Paul  the  similar 
thought,  that  he  must  have  entered  a  retreat  of 
some  kind,  and  that  he  was  now  in  the  presence 
of  one  of  the  patients.  But  any  apprehensions 
he  might  otherwise  have  felt  on  this  account 
'Were  relieved  when  the  gentleman  calmly  con- 
tinued ;  — 

*'  Yes,  I  will  gladly  help  you  all  I  can.  You 
say  you  are  lost.     Tell  me  where  your  home  is." 

"  Where  my  home  is  ?  That 's  it,"  said  Paul, 
brightening,  —  "  where  my  home  is  ?  Yes,  yes." 
He  felt  his  mind  wandering  a  little,  as  every 
man's  mind  is  apt  to  do  when  he  is  suddenly  re- 
lieved from  some  great  anxiety,  and  then  con- 
fronted by  the  simplest  possible  question  of 
every-day  life.  "  I  live  on  Cedar  Avenue,  num- 
ber 201.     And  if  you  will  be  good   enough  to 


THE    CRYSTAL   BUTTON.  21 

send  for  a  hack,  I  can  go  home  at  once  without 
troubling  you  further.'* 

"  Strange,  very  strange !  "  repeated  the  old 
gentleman  — "  such  perfect  command  both  of 
Old  English  words  and  also  of  old  phrase-forms! 
But,  my  dear  sir,  where  is  Cedar  Avenue  ?  " 

"  Why,  don't  you  know  ?  It 's  not  far  from 
the  Common,  and  is  nearly  as  old  as  the  city." 

"  I  never  heard  of  it,  or  of  the  Common  you 
mention  ;  and  it  can't  be  in  this  city,  for  all  our 
avenues  are  named  systematically,  and  Cedar  is 
a  name  that  does  n't  belong  to  the  system." 

This  was  somewhat  bewildering.  Kemem- 
brance  of  the  great  city  through  which  he  had 
recently  prowled  flashed  across  Paul's  mind. 
It  had  not  seemed  like  his  native  citv.  "  Is  this 
not  Boston,  sir?" 

The  gentleman  again  looked  at  him  sharply, 
without  replying ;  and  Paul,  who  once  more  be- 
gan to  waver  between  doubts  as  to  whether  he 
had  been  transported  or  whether  his  questioner 
was  demented,  could  only  find  words  to  add,  iu 
a  hopeless  sort  of  way :  "  If  I  am  not  in  Boston, 
please  tell  me  where  I  am,  and  how  I  came  here, 
and  how  I  can  get  away." 

"  Why,  my  dear  sir,  do  you  not  know  that  you 
are  in  the  good  city  of  Tone  ?  Such  is  the  fact. 
You  say  you  live  in  Boston.  Is  it  possible  that 
you  do  not  realize  that  the  ancient  city  ot  Bos- 


22  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

ton,  like  the  ancient  language  you  speak,  is 
merely  an  historical  fact  of  the  remote  past? 
One  would  think  you  were  a  relic  strayed  from 
a  former  age.  But  allow  me  to  ask  you  a  few 
questions,  and  see  how  far  we  can  understand 
one  another." 

"  I  will  try  to  answer  them,  sir." 

"What  year  is  this?" 

"■Why,  eighteen  hundred  and ' seventy-two," 
answered  Paul  quickly,  glad  to  be  thus  led  off 
with  an  easy  one.  "  You  see  I  have  not  alto- 
gether lost  my  wits." 

"  And  who  is  the  chief  officer  of  state?" 

"  Ulysses  S.  Grant." 

"  Mention,  if  you  please,  some  notable  j^ersons 
now  living  in  other  parts  of  the  world." 

"  Well,  in  England  there  is  Queen  Victoria  ; 
Emperor  William  in  Germany,  Alexander  in 
Russia,  and  Victor  Immanuel  in  Italy.  In 
France  —  I  have  forgotten  who  is  at  the  head  of 
affairs  in  France  just  now,  or  in  Spain  either, 
for  they  turn  so  many  political  somersaults  tliat 
it  is  difficult  to  keep  track  of  affairs  in  those 
countries." 

"And  you  say  that  you  live  in  Boston  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  answered  Paul,  more  at  ease,  and  no 
longer  annoyed  at  his  questioner's  reiteration, 
although  now  convinced  that  the  other  was  hope- 
lessly beside  himself. 


THE    CRYSTAL   BUTT  OX.  23 

"And  Boston  is  where?" 

"In  the  good  old  Bay  State,  Massachusetts," 
said  Paul,  smiling  for  the  first  time. 

"  Marco !  "  called  out  the  old  gentleman,  — 
"  Marco,  I  wish  you  would  come  here  for  a  few 
moments." 

Through  the  curtains  from  an  adjoining  room 
soon  advanced  a  handsome  young  fellow,  about 
twenty  years  old,  and  an  athlete  in  build,  whose 
fine  figure  showed  to  advantage  in  his  simple 
flowing  garments.  "  This  is  my  young  friend 
Marco.  And  this  is  a  stranger  whose  conversa- 
tion interests  me  more  than  I  can  tell.  I  wish, 
Marco,  you  would  look  up  a  few  facts  for  me. 
Please  examine  the  chronological  tables  of 
Blackmole's  Ancient  History,  and  see  in  what 
year  of  the  Christian  Era  there  was  a  President 
of  the  ancient  Republic  of  Washington,  named 
Grant,  —  was  it  not  Grant  you  mentioned  ?  " 

"  Yes,  Ulysses  S.  Grant." 

"  This  stranger,  Marco,  who  is  no  doubt  a  re- 
cent inmate  of  some  asylum,  but  who  appears 
quite  harmless  and  is  evidently  a  person  of  rare 
erudition,  particularly  interests  me  because  he 
speaks  with  wonderful  fluency  and  correctness 
the  old  English  language,  on  wdiich,  as  you 
know,  I  pride  myself.  It  is  of  course  possible 
that  a  demented  person,  and  especially  one 
versed  in  ancient  history,  might  fancy  himself 


24  THE    CRYSTAL    BUTTON. 

transported  to  the  field  of  his  former  researches, 
and  living  in  the  days  of  Grant  and  Queen  Vic- 
toria ;  but  what  I  now  want  to  do  is  to  see  how 
far  he  is  consistent  in  his  imaginings." 

While  the  old  gentleman  was  thus  speaking, 
Paul  watched  the  young  man  as  he  swiftly  ran 
over  the  pages  of  the  book  before  him.  He  also 
glanced  at  them  ;  but,  to  his  astonishment,  he 
was  unable  to  decipher  a  word.  They  were  evi- 
dently printed  in  some  kind  of  shorthand,  and  the 
speed  with  which  the  searcher  pursued  his  task 
seemed  to  indicate  that  the  volume  was  either 
perfectly  familiar  to  him,  or  he  was  able  to 
catch  its  contents  with  lightning  glances. 

"  Well,  Professor,"  said  the  young  man, 
"  there  was  a  President  named  Grant,  who  was 
elected  soon  after  the  close  of  the  First  Civil 
War,  —  the  war  that  resulted  in  the  extinction 
of  negro  slavery.  He  was  previously  chief  in 
command  of  the  Government  forces.  That  was 
in  Anno  Domini  1868.  The  same  Grant  was 
reelected  to  the  presidency  in  1872." 

"  That  must  have  been  about  the  time  when 
electricity  was  first  introduced  as  an  illumina- 
tor." 

"  I  see  no  mention  of  electric  lighting  until  a 
few  pages  later." 

"  And  how  about  the  enfranchisement  of 
women  ?  " 


THE    CRYSTAL   BUTTON.  25 

"  That  followed  not  many  years  afterward  ; 
but  it  is  well  along  in  the  next  century  that  I 
find  a  woman  President  named." 

"  Let  us  see,  a  moment,"  commented  the  Pro- 
fessor. "  The  present  year  being  Anno  Pacis 
1372,  and  adding  this  to  Anno  Domini  3500, 
the  Year  of  Peace,  we  are  now,  according  to  the 
old  style,  in  the  year  487 2. ^_^  Stranger,  your 
friend  Grant  was  President  just  three  thousand 
years  ago.  You  've  had  a  good  long  nap,  if 
you  've  been  asleep  ever  since  then." 

Paul  was  now  so  thoroughly  confused  that  he 
did  not  try  to  make  any  response,  beyond  a 
piteous  sigh  :    "  What  am  I  to  do  ?  " 

"  Simj^ly  make  yourself  perfectly  comfortable, 
and  consider  my  home  yours  until  further  notice. 
I  will  see  that  you  are  supplied  with  everything 
you  need." 

*'  Thank  you,  sir  —  thank  you  with  all  my 
heart !  And  my  companion  here  —  my  dog  — 
can  he  also  remain  ?  " 

"  Certainly.  Well,  the  most  evident  need 
you  now  have  is  clothing.  Marco,  take  the 
necessary  measures  as  to  height,  girth,  and 
length  of  leg,  and  telephone  to  the  East  Central 
warehouse  for  full  costumes  —  day  and  evening, 
and  for  both  house  and  street." 

This  having  been  done,  the  old  gentleman 
continued  :  "  By  the  way,  I  do  not  yet  know 
your  name." 


26  THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON. 

"  Paul  Prognosis." 

"  And  mine  is  Prosper,  Fellow  of  the  Acad- 
emy of  Sciences  —  people  generally  call  me 
'  Professor '  for  short ;  and  my  young  friend's 
name  is  Marco  Mortimer  —  a  rather  musical 
name,  is  n't  it  ?  My  daughter  likes  it  so  well 
that  she  is  preparing  to  link  hers  to  it.  Madam 
Prosper-Mor tinier  —  is  n't  that  a  name  to  be  re- 
membered ?  Marco,  you  have  no  need  to  simulate 
nervous  haste.  Your  blushes  speak  your  mod- 
esty. But  there 's  the  signal  from  the  parcel- 
delivery  tube.  Will  you  please  attend  to  it, 
Marco  ?  There 's  nothing  like  present  duty  as 
a  cure  for  confusion." 

In  response  to  this  request,  the  young  man 
opened  a  circular  bronze  door  in  one  of  the 
alcoves,  and  into  his  arms  swiftly  dropped  a 
number  of  compact  parcels. 

"  There,"  continued  the  Professor,  "  I  think 
you  '11  find  the  outfit  complete  ;  and  Marco  will 
now  conduct  you  to  our  spare  chamber,  and  af- 
terwards see  that  you  have  breakfast.  Try  and 
eat  a  good  hearty  one,  for  I  propose  to  give  you 
a  walk  that  will  require  your  best  energies. 
While  you  are  employed  upstairs,  I  will  finish 
my  correspondence." 


CHAPTER  V. 

The  Expected  Advent  of  a  Celestial  Visitor. 

I  After  an  absence  of  an  hour,  Paul  returned 
to  the  library,  attired  in  his  new  costume  and 
closely  followed  by  Smudge.  The  latter  had  a 
look  of  surprised  wonder,  but  his  master  was 
now  quite  calm. 

"  Mr.  Prognosis,"  said  the  Professor,  "  as  you 
are  our  guest,  it  is  only  proper  for  you  to  know 
that  you  may  find  my  mind  a  little  preoccupied 
by  reason  of  the  preparations  it  is  my  duty  to 
make  in  view  of  the  near  approach  of  the  great 
event." 

"You  refer  to  your  daughter's  marriage,  I 
presume." 

"  Not  at  all.  Why,  is  it  possible  ?  Are  n't 
you  aware  that  we  now  stand  on  the  threshold 
with  expectant  eyes,  awaiting  the  advent  of  the 
greatest  spectacle  in  recorded  history  ?  " 

"  I  was  not  aware  of  it,  sir." 

"It  is  to  occur  just  three  days  from  now. 
You   very  likely  noticed,  before  you   came  in, 


28  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

that  the  streets  were  crowded  with  people,  al- 
though the  sun  had  only  just  risen.  The  whole 
world  will  be  out-of-doors  for  the  next  three 
days,  awaiting  and  discussing  the  expectexl  event. 
As  for  myself,  I  have  already  completed  nearly 
all  my  preparations  for  the  observations  I  am  to 
make.  But,  again,  you  know  nothing  of  this ; 
you  do  not  even  know  that  I  am  an  astronomer, 
and  have  direction  of  the  telescopic  and  photo- 
graphic work  at  this  station.  I  have  a  few  er- 
rands still  to  attend  to,  but  you  can  accompany 
me,  and  we  can  talk  as  we  ga  along." 

"Thank  you,  sir.  Nothing  could  give  me 
greater  pleasure  than  the  walk  you  propose. 
But  the  great  event  you  allude  to,  may  I  ask 
what  that  is?" 

"  Just  think  of  it,  Marco,  —  a  fellow  mortal  who 
ajDparently  has  no  knowledge  of  the  fact  that  the 
Year  of  Peace  1372  marks  an  epoch  above  all 
epochs  in  scientific  interest !  But  no  doubt,  Mr. 
Prognosis,  I  shall  find  you  all  the  more  interest- 
ing as  a  companion  for  this  very  reason.  You 
will  prove  an  audience  such  as  I  probably  could 
not  find  elsewhere  on  this  globe.  You  can't  help 
being  interested  in  this  most  remarkable  occur- 
rence, and  especially  so  if  your  mind  has  any  sci- 
entific bent.     How  is  that  ?  " 

"  I  am  proud  to  say  that  I  have  made  science 
the  special  study  of  my  life  —  that  is,  the  science 


THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON.  29 

of  mechanics  mainly ;  but  no  one  can  search 
deeply  and  understand ingiy  into  mechanics  or 
any  one  branch  of  that  study,  without  acquiring 
some  general  knowledge  of  science  and  a  taste 
for  science  generally." 

"  Very  true.  And  in  what  branch  of  mechan- 
ics were  you  mainly  interested  ?  " 

"  In  engineering  and  motive  forces.  I  was 
among  the  first  to  foresee  the  future  possibilities 
of  electricity,  and  I  have  received  several  patents 
for  inventions  in  that  line,  which  I  hope  may 
some  time  prove  valuable  to  the  world  as  well  as 
to  me." 

"  Indeed,  that  is  interesting.  But  patents, 
I  must  tell  you,  are  among  those  many  things 
of  the  remote  past  that  found  no  place  in  the 
world's  economy  after  the  Experimental  Age 
was  gone.  However,  we  will  talk  of  that  some 
other  time.  To-day,  let  us  forget  that  there  ever 
was  a  yesterday.  We  will  simply  look  at  things 
as  they  present  themselves  to  our  eyes.  We  will 
calmly  accept  the  world  as  we  find  it,  —  I  think 
you  will  be  quite  willing  to,  —  and  calmly  pre- 
pare our  minds  for  the  great  coming." 

"  But  this  great  coming  ;  what  is  it  ?  " 

"  It  is  a  brief  call  that  will  be  paid  our  planet 
by  the  huge  comet  Veda,  —  she  never  appeared 
in  your  Christian  Era,  —  which  will  pass  in  re- 
view before  our  very  doors." 


30  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

"  Is  the  end  of  the  world  indeed  so  near  at 
hand  ?  "  cried  Paul. 

"  There  is  no  need  of  anxiety  on  that  score. 
For  centuries  past  our  astronomers  have  been 
engaged  in  their  calculations,  which  are  now 
completed,  and  with  an  accuracy  that  is  beyond 
all  question.  There  can  be  no  collision,  there 
can  be  no  disastrous  results.  The  world  has  not 
been  slowly  bailded  to  its  present  degree  of  per- 
fection to  be  suddenly  demolished.  Next  Sun- 
day morning,  shortly  before  sunrise,  the  comet 
will  cross  our  heavens,  and  the  only  fear  is  that 
she  will  approach  so  near  that  we  shall  be  unable 
to  gaze  upon  her." 

"  But  the  world's  tides !  The  proximity  of 
such  vast  masses  of  matter  cannot  but  result  in 
causing  another  Noah's  deluge  !  " 

"  Our  best  scientists  think  it  was  this  same 
comet  Yeda  that  caused  the  deluge  of  which  you 
speak ;  but  the  world  must  then  have  been  en- 
veloped in  the  tail,  which  is  now  deflected  from 
the  direct  line  of  its  approach  ;  and,  in  the  slight 
disturbance  of  all  the  usual  conditions  of  the  so- 
lar system,  the  power  of  attraction  will  be  ex- 
actly compensated,  and  our  tides  will  scarcely 
record  the  event.  Moreover,  the  passage  will  be 
brief,  and  effects  of  light  and  heat  will  be  largely 
neutralized  by  our  enveloping  atmosphere.  I 
can  assure  you,  Mr.  Prognosis,  that  you  need 
not  fear  danger  of  any  kind." 


THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON.  31 

"  Of  course  it  would  be  useless  to  do  so.  If 
the  world  were  to  be  blotted  out  of  existence  in 
the  twinkling  of  an  eye  "  — 

"  But  I  have  assured  you  that  it  is  n't  going 
to  be  !  Neio^hbor  Mars  and  ourselves  acrree  on 
this  point." 

For  some  reason  the  astoundins:  intellio-ence 
that  had  just  been  communicated  to  Paul  did 
not  affect  him  as  strongly  as  might  have  been 
expected.  He  had  already  observed  and  heard 
so  many  strange  things  during  the  hour  just 
passed,  that  he  was  becoming  quite  prepared  and 
even  expectant  to  hear  more  ;  and  he  had  now 
fully  recovered  from  his  preconception  that  the 
Professor  was  insane.  By  some  means,  which 
his  mind  could  not  yet  compass,  and  he  no 
longer  made  any  attempt  to  do  so,  he  found  him- 
self amid  scenes  and  circumstances  that  were 
wholly  new  to  him ;  but  his  training  and  experi- 
ence fitted  him  to  appreciate  their  supreme  in- 
terest, and  he  lent  himself  unreservedly  to  the 
pleasant  task  of  observing  everything  about 
him.  In  response  to  the  Professor's  last  remark, 
he  merely  asked:  "You  speak  of  'neighbor 
Mars '  —  is  it  positively  known  that  Mars  is  in- 
habited by  human  beings?" 

"  Inhabited  ?  Why,  certainly.  We  have  had 
communication  with  its  people  for  centuries 
past,  and  we  already  know  all  that  can  be  com- 


32  THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON. 

mnnicated  by  signals.  We  know  their  customs, 
and  several  discoveries  of  great  value  were  com- 
municated to  us  by  tlieir  scientists.  We  know 
their  history,  whicli  dates  back  much  further  than 
our  own  so  far  as  we  possess  records.  They  are 
much  more  advanced  than  we  are,  and  have 
greater  wisdom.  They  are  our  teachers  in  many 
things.  It  was  partly  by  means  of  the  lessons 
they  taught  us  that  we  were  able  to  reorganize 
our  world  on  better  princij)les,  and  make  it  what 
it  now  is  —  a  pleasure-house  instead  of  the  work- 
house it  was  in  the  dark  days  of  which  you  have 
been  speaking.  AVhy,  my  dear  friend,  you  have 
only  to  look  at  my  scientific  journals  here,  or 
this,  my  morning  newspaper,  to  see  how  invalu- 
able we  find  our  acquaintance  with  that  elder 
and  more  comfortable  planet,  wdiere  men  grow 
larger,  and  live  longer,  and  have  a  firmer  grasp 
of  ideas  than  we  have.  Just  read  this  para- 
graph, for  instance." 

"  But  I  cannot  read  this  kind  of  print." 
"  What  ?  Oh !  of  course  not.  That 's  founded 
on  a  system  wholly  unknown  in  your  time,  but 
now  developed  to  a  degree  of  perfection  that 
cannot  but  command  j^our  admiration.  There 
are  no  letters,  you  will  observe,  as  in  the  clumsy 
method  by  wdiich  your  Old  English  was  written, 
but  we  employ  these  simple  symbols,  every  one 
of  which  flashes  a  well-rounded  idea,  so  that  we 


THE  CRYSTAL   BUTTON.  33 

are  now  able  to  present  one  of  the  largest  histo- 
ries of  your  day  in  a  few-score  pages." 

"  But  is  n't  it  difacult  to  learn  ?     Can   your 
children  learn  it  ?  " 

"  Certainly.     They  are  more  skillfully  taught 
than  in  your  day,  but  they  study  no  harder,  and 
they  are  able  to  read  at  about   the  same  age. 
And  when  they  are  once  masters  of  the  art,  they 
are  able  to  absorb  the  complete  library  of  the 
world's   knowledge,  which    century   by  century 
has  increased   in  volume,  instead    of   painfully 
grasping  a  small  department  of  knowledge,  as 
even  your  most  highly  cultivated  men  were  con- 
tent to  do.     How  many  professors  of  your  ac- 
quaintance, who  were  wise  in  history  or  the  lan- 
guages, were  also  acquainted  with  the  primary 
chapters  of  mechanics  ?  " 

''Very  few,  I  must  confess." 
"  Well,  now,  when  all  men  are  educated,  they 
are  also  sufficiently  acquainted  with  the  several 
leading  branches  of  human  knowledge,  so  that 
the  interests  of  our  people  are  identical  and 
mutual.  And  please  bear  in  mind  also,  that  we 
are  no  longer  compelled  to  waste  time  in  learn- 
ing what  you  knew  as  foreign  languages.  The 
language  you  now  hear  me  speak  is  the  common 
language  that  all  men  speak  —  that  is,  all  men 
on  this  planet.  The  Martian  language  is  dif- 
ferent, and  thus  far  only  a  few  of  our  professors 


34  THE  CRYHTAL  BUTTON. 

have  learned  it.  I  do  not  know  it  myself.  That 
is  the  only  foreign  language  we  come  in  contact 
with  nowadays.  But  let  me  warn  you  that  many 
people  whom  we  shall  meet  to-day  will  set  down 
your  speech  as  foreign.  I  think  they  will  under- 
stand you,  but  of  course  not  as  readily  as  I  do, 
for  I  have  specially  studied  your  ancient  tongue. 
Whoever  you  may  be,  and  whatever  your  other 
accomplishments  may  prove,  you  will  be  a  val- 
uable as  well  as  welcome  guest  by  reason  of  the 
many  hints  you  can  no  doubt  give  me  in  my 
studies  in  that  line." 

"  I  am  gladly  at  your  service,  Professor." 
"  Thank  you.    And  now,  if  you  are  ready,  we 
will  go  and  do  our  errands,  and  meanwhile  view 
the  city." 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Three  Thousand  Years. 

"  Three  thousand  years !  "  said  Professor 
Prosper  absently,  as  they  passed  along  the  street. 

"  Three  thousand  years  !  "  echoed  Paul ;  "  and 
yet,  by  some  strange  fortune,  —  whether  good  or 
evil  I  hardly  yet  know,  —  I  find  myself  permitted 
still  to  live  and  breathe  and  to  gaze  at  the  pleas- 
ant face  of  the  earth.  Three  thousand  years! 
and  yet  the  sun  still  shines  the  same,  and  the 
^  fleecy  cloud-ships  overhead  sail  just  as  calmly, 
and  the  wind  gives  me  the  same  brusque  greet- 
ing as  in  the  Decembers  of  old." 

"-  Yes,"  responded  the  Professor ;  "  and,  as 
you  will  learn  later,  happy  childhood  plays  just 
the  same  in  mimicry  of  maturer  life ;  there  still 
reigns  the  golden  age  of  love-making,  accompa- 
nied by  buoyant  hope  and  castle-building ;  still 
there  come  the  soberer  joys  and  responsibilities 
of  middle  life ;  and  still  each  man  and  woman 
is  followed  step  by  step  by  the  shadow  of  old 
age  and  death.  So  rolls  the  world  forever 
through  its  contrasting  seasons.     But  life's  road 


/ 


36  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

now  is  unquestionably  much  smoother  and  more 
comfortable  for  all  of  us  than  it  was  in  your  tur- 
bulent age  of  experiment  and  unrest." 

''  That  is  what  I  am  j^articularly  interested  to 
know  about.  In  what  respects  are  you  now  more 
at  ease  ?  And  does  this  ease  extend  to  all 
classes  ?  And  are  all  classes  happier  in  conse- 
quence ?  " 

*'  I  can  answer  Yes  to  your  last  two  ques- 
tions. Details  you  must  see  for  yourself.  In  a 
general  way,  however,  you  will  no  doubt  find  the 
following  points  suggestive  of  some  of  the  condi- 
tions you  may  expect  to  find.  Money-getting  is 
no  longer  the  chief  goal  of  effort,  and  hence 
many  unworthy  ambitions  have  been  stifled. 
Places  of  power  and  trust  are  now  filled  by 
strong  and  trustworthy  men ;  the  path  to  all 
high  places  is  such  that  none  others  can  attain 
them.  We  no  longer  have  taskmasters,  for  the 
simple  reason  that  we  no  longer  have  slaves. 
There  is  abundance  in  the  way  of  the  world's 
goods  for  all,  and  not  so  much  for  any  one  class 
as  to  make  them  uncomfortable.  AVe  have  abol- 
ished classes,  i  We  have  less  failures  and  disap- 
pointments in  our  ambitions  because  the  youth- 
ful period  of  experimenting  and  scheming  is 
past,  and  we  now  understand  the  forces  and 
materials  that  are  at  our  disposal,  and  can  thus 
work  toward  any  given  end  with  reasonable  as- 


THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON.  37 

surance  of  success.  History  clearly  teaches  that, 
in  your  time,  many  of  your  most  intelligent  and 
earnest  workers  failed  utterly  so  far  as  visible 
results  were  concerned.  Some  of  the  men  of 
your  time  whose  names  are  now  famous  were 
scarcely  known  to  you,  except  perhaps  as  vague 
theorizers  and  idealists.  From  our  present  point 
of  view  we  are  able  to  judge  the  value  of  their 
theories,  as  worked  out  by  later  specialists,  and 
justly  award  them  a  place  among  the  great  ones 
of  the  earth  who  have  opened  up  new  avenues  of 
material  or  intellectual  value." 

"I  can  see  how  that  might  be  so.  We  did 
the  same  by  generations  that  preceded  us." 

"  Yes,  but  in  a  less  degree,  because  you  lived 
before  the  era  of  truth,  justice,  and  peace,  while 
society  was  in  a  ferment,  while  law  was  by  no 
means  synonymous  with  justice  ;  while  worldly 
advantage,  largely  based  on  a  money  valuation, 
was  the  gauge  of  success  if  not  of  merit ;  and 
while  the  bread-and-butter  question  overtopped 
all  others." 

"  Have  you  no  bread-and-butter  question  now 
in  the  world  ?  " 

"  None  of  which  any  private  citizen  is  bound 
to  take  any  thought.  The  world  produces  am- 
ple supplies  so  long  as  waste,  war,  idleness,  ig- 
norance, and  miserliness  are  not  allowed  to  put 
their  greedy  hands  in  the   raeal-sack.     Under 


38  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

our  reign  of  truth,  justice,  and  peace  those  buz- 
zards of  famine  no  longer  breed.  You  see,  Mr. 
Prognosis,  science,  which  merely  means  know- 
ing .^  has  now  taken  the  place  of  experimenting, 
which  means  trying  to  know.,  and  consequently 
implies  ignorance.  You  lived  in  the  Experi- 
mental Age,  whereby  the  world  was  taught 
many  valuable  lessons ;  but  it  was  a  world  of 
hardships  —  how  hard  you  did  not  then  realize, 
or  universal  anarchy  would  have  put  to  the 
test  the  great  question  of  all,  which  you  did  lit- 
tle to  settle.  Can  you  now  guess  what  that 
question  was  ?  " 

"  Human  rights  ?  " 

'*  Exactly.  You  claimed  to  be  Christians, 
and  your  nations  claimed  to  be  Christian  na- 
tions, but  —  excuse  me — your  customs  and  your 
laws  wrought  more  injustice  between  man  and 
man  than  any  heathen  nations  that  had  pre- 
ceded you,  simply  because  your  power  was  vastly 
greater.  You  ruled  by  force :  to-day  the  world 
is  ruled  by  truth  ;  and,  under  the  sway  of  this 
benign  judge,  all  things  have  blossomed  and 
fruited  in  a  manner  you  never  dreamed  of.  All 
things  human  have  now  lost  their  sting,  only  ex- 
cepting sickness  and  death;  and  sickness  has 
been  very  largely  reduced,  while  death  has  been 
deferred  unto  the  day  when  most  men,  being- 
feeble  and  weary,  have  loosened  most  of  the 
ties  that  make  life  a  boon." 


THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON.  39 

For  a  few  minutes  the  two  men  walked  on 
without  speaking.  Paul  first  broke  the  silence. 
"  Tell  me,  sir,  do  you  perceive  any  evidences 
that  nature  itself  is  growing  old  ?  Has  the  sun 
perceptibly  lost  volume  and  power  by  radia- 
tion?" 

"  That,  Mr.  Prognosis,  is  a  question  you  can 
better  decide,  because  you  have  means  of  com- 
parison. What  say  you?  Do  you  detect  any 
paling  of  its  beneficent  fires  ?  " 

"  I  do  not  find  it  apparent  to  the  senses.  It 
seems  to  me  as  bright  as  ever,  and  its  rays  seem 
as  warm  on  my  cheek." 

"  Of  course,"  added  the  Professor,  "  we  know 
that,  within  three  thousand  years  past,  there 
must  have  been  some  decrease  of  light  and  heat 
by  reason  of  radiation,  some  decrease  of  volume 
from  concentration,  some  increase  of  mass  from 
meteoric  accretions,  and  consequently  some  short- 
ening of  all  the  planetary  distances.  But  these 
changes  are  so  slight  that  only  our  most  delicate 
instruments  record  them.  There  has  also  been 
a  slight  lengthening  of  our  days  and  nights,  so 
that  we  can  now  calculate  the  time  when  the 
twenty-ninth  day  of  February  will  no  longer  be 
needed  to  piece  out  the  uneven  years.  These 
few  changes  have  occurred,  as  your  scientists 
were  able  to  predict,  and  the  same  movements 
will  forever  continue  until  the  sun  finallv  loses 


40  THE   CRYSTAL    BUTTON. 

its  light  altogether  and  nature  dies.  There  have 
been  measurable  changes  in  the  last  three  thou- 
sand years ;  but,  as  you  have  said,  none  of  them 
are  perceptible  to  the  senses." 

"  I  can  hardly  restrain  myself,  sir,  from  ask- 
ing you  many  more  questions  regarding  j)hysi- 
cal  science,  but  this  is  not  the  time  or  place  for 
that.  Some  other  time,  if  you  will  allow  me,  I 
shall  not  fail  to  tax  your  patience  to  the  ut- 
most," 

"You  need  not  fear  of  wearying  me  by  so 
doing.  Like  you,  I  am  an  enthusiast  on  sucli 
subjects*" 


CHAPTER  VII. 

The  Tower  of  Peace  and  Good  -  Will, 

"  What  a  magnificent  square  !  "  said  Paul,  as 
they  now  entered  the  same  one  he  remembered 
crossing  in  the  morning,  and  he  again  looked  up 
the  eio'ht  radiatino^  avenues,  between  which  and 
fronting  upon  the  square  stood  various  build- 
ings of  surprising  magnitude  and  architectural 
beauty,  far  surpassing  anything  he  had  ever 
dreamed  of.  In  the  centre  of  the  square  was 
a  monumental  column,  and  in  response  to  his 
questioning  look,  as  he  viewed  its  vast  propor- 
tions and  exquisite  variety  and  harmony  of  dec- 
oration, his  companion  said :  "  Yes,  this  is  now 
counted  as  one  of  the  wonders  of  the  world,  and 
it  is  unsurpassed  in  beauty  by  any  similar  struc- 
ture. It  is  called  the  Tower  of  Peace  and  Good- 
will, and  was  built  to  commemorate  the  accom- 
plishment of  universal  peace  among  the  nations. 
Its  design,  as  you  will  perceive  upon  studying 
it,  is  singularly  appropriate  in  every  detail  to 
the  symbolism  which  the  great  artist-architect 
had  in  mind.     The  base  is  a  grand  triumphal 


42  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

arch,  which,  even  without  the  lofty  column  that 
surmounts  it,  would  be  an  imposing  object. 
Grouped  around  this  base  are  bronze  figures  of 
horsemen  confronting  each  other  in  deadly  strife, 
while  between  them,  and  forcibly  parting  them, 
stand  armed  giants.  This  is  intended  to  sym- 
bolize the  power  of  the  new  civilization  to  con- 
trol the  spirits  of  hatred,  that  would  otherwise 
inspire  dissension,  strife,  warfare." 

"I  understand."  ' 

"  On  the  lower  portion  of  the  outer  wall, 
above  the  plinth,  you  will  observe  a  series  of 
bronze  tablets  in  bas-relief.  These  include  his- 
torical representations  of  all  modes  of  warfare 
practiced  by  the  ancients,  and  clearly  show  its 
savage  character  and  terrible  destructiveness. 
Above  those  is  a  contrasting  series  of  tablets 
illustrating  the  conquests  and  glories  of  peace ; 
and  over  the  grand  arch  is  the  rising  sun,  typi- 
fying the  dawn  of  peace.  Rejoicing  in  its  rays, 
on  either  side,  are  great  armies  who  no  longer 
display  implements  of  bloodshed,  but  banners 
bearing  emblems  and  mottoes  of  good-will.  And 
see !  over  all,  and  in  letters  that  can  be  read  by 
all  —  by  even  you,  for  they  are  the  letters  in 
which  your  Old  English  was  written,  is  in- 
scribed the  glorious  phrase  :  — 


THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON.  43 

"  In  your  day  you  often  repeated  that  same 
phrase,  but  it  then  had  no  meaning.  Your 
choirs  sang  it,  but  the  words  were  drowned  by 
the  trample  of  armies  that  then  made  the  world 
an  armed  camp.     Was  it  not  so  ?  " 

"  I  confess  it." 

"  The  inscriptions  you  see  on  panels  let  into 
the  upper  portion  of  the  wall  are  words  of  wis- 
dom spoken  by  men  of  all  the  ages  who  were  in 
any  way  instrumental  in  ushering  in  the  reign 
of  peace,  and  whose  names  follow  the  texts. 
Among  them  you  will  recognize  that  of  Wash- 
ington, who  helped  give  a  death-blow  to  kingly 
usurpation,  and  Lincoln,  who  aimed  a  similar 
blow  at  one  of  the  primitive  forms  of  human 
slavery.  Those  of  the  great  social  reformers, 
that  then  follow,  are  of  course  not  known  to 
you.  And  now,  if  you  please,  we  will  ascend 
the  shaft." 

Thus  speaking,  they  passed  through  the  main 
arch,  and  entered  an  inner  door  leading  to  a 
broad,  winding  passage,  having  no  steps,  by 
which  they  easily  passed  to  the  top  of  the  grand 
Arch  of  Triumph  and  stood  among  the  art-won- 
ders of  the  level  summit. 

"Now,"  said  the  Professor,  "let  us  take  thins:s 
ni  order,  and  we  shall  soon  obtain  a  general  im- 
pression of  this  masterpiece,  although  a  score  of 
visits  may  be  made  without  exhausting  interest 


r 

44  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

in  its  countless  details.  Here,  at  the  four  cor- 
ners, you  see  bronze  groups  of  domestic  animals, 
some  standing'  and  some  reclining  in  peaceful 
attitudes  under  graceful  foliage ;  and  directly 
over  the  four  arches  are  colossal  statues  of  four 
noted  men,  —  I  presume  you  would  have  called 
them  social  reformers,  —  who  would  be  but  names 
to  you  if  I  should  mention  them  now,  but  you 
will  know  and  honor  them  later." 

"  The  labor  question  —  is  it  yet  settled  ?  " 

"  Oh,  centuries  ago.  There  could  be  no 
thought  of  peace  until  that  problem  was  solved." 

"  And  was  it  peacefully  solved  ?  " 

"Yes  and  no.  It  was  the  momentous  ques- 
tion in  your  day.  You  must  remember  the  con- 
tinual strife  that  grew  out  of  it.  Like  all  great 
issues,  it  finally  forced  itself  to  the  front,  chal- 
lenged attention,  and  compelled  action  from  the 
best  minds,  and  then  gradually  wrought  out  its 
own  salvation  as  society  became  organized  on  a 
wiser  and  truer  basis.  Honesty  and  justice 
were  the  only  elements  lacking  in  your  day  for 
its  peaceful  solution.  As  soon  as  these  forces 
took  the  field,  the  field  was  won." 

"  Above  us  still  rises  the  tower." 

"  Yes,  and  all  other  parts  of  the  structure  are 
but  accessories  to  this.  You  will  see  that  the 
shaft  of  the  column  is  surrounded  by  a  spiral 
gallery,  which  winds  about  it  from  base  to  sum- 


THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON.  45 

mitv  This  gallery  is  supported  by  a  continu- 
ous colonnade ;  and  this,  together  with  a  beau- 
tiful balustrade  below,  a  series  of  arches  spring- 
ing from  the  columns,  and  a  belt  of  exquisite 
tracery  above,  forms  a  shell  to  the  central  shaft 
and  gives  the  outline  of  the  tower  as  seen  from 
a  distance.  Within  this  ascending  gallery,  on 
the  side  next  the  shaft,  is  the  passageway  ;  and 
on  the  outside,  next  the  colonnade,  is  a  grand 
procession  of  marble  figures,  all  carrying  offer- 
ings to  lay  at  the  feet  of  Peace,  who  sits  en- 
throned on  the  summit.  Here  are  herdsmen 
with  cattle,  shepherds  with  flocks,  ploughmen 
with  teams,  wagons  loaded  with  the  products  of 
the  field,  the  locomotive  driver,  fishermen  with 
their  nets,  and  sailors  with  the  tiller  in  hand. 
Here  are  artisans  with  emblems  of  their  calling, 
scientists  with  their  inventions,  authors  with 
their  books,  orators,  actors,  painters,  sculptors, 
architects,  musicians,  —  every  phase  of  effort  is 
represented  that  in  any  way  contributes  to  the 
necessities,  comforts,  or  pleasures  of  life.  Each 
fi^gure  in  this  vast  collection  is  the  work  of 
some  noted  artist,  and  it  has  been  an  object  of 
the  highest  ambition  on  the  part  of  our  sculp- 
tors to  secure  a  place  for  their  works  in  this  col- 
lection. If  you  like,  you  can  easily  glance  at 
all  by  entering  this  slowly  moving  elevator ;  or 
are  you  likely  to  be  fatigued  by  the  trip  ?  " 


46  THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON. 

"  Even  if  I  were,  I  should  not  know  it,  for 
my  entire  attention  is  absorbed  in  wonder  and 
admiration  for  these  marvelous  works  about 
me." 

Stepping  ujjon  the  moving  platform,  they 
then  leisurely  surveyed  the  vast  procession  that 
seemed  moving  with  them  to  the  summit,  where, 
at  a  windy  elevation  that  was  at  first  somewhat 
trying  to  his  nerves,  Paul  grasped  the  railing 
that  surrounded  the  throne  of  Peace,  and  looked 
down  upon  the  outspread  city. 

"  Well,  here  we  are,"  said  the  Professor,  again 
assuming  the  office  of  guide.  "  Here  Peace 
reigns  triumphant,  upheld,  as  you  see,  on  a  hem- 
isphere representing  the  earth,  with  her  right 
hand  suj)porting  a  staff  topped  by  a  crystal 
globe,  the  emblem  of  Truth,  and  her  left  hand 
resting  upon  a  disc-like  ring,  signifying  Unity, 
around  whose  edges  are  inscribed  the  names  of 
all  the  nations  that  subscribed  to  the  Act  of 
Universal  Peace.  Around  her  stand  figures  rep- 
resenting Justice,  Order,  Industry,  and  Plenty ; 
and,  emerging  from  the  winding  gallery  and 
surrounding  the  throne,  are  figures  of  children, 
bearing  their  offerings  of  flowers  and  fruit,  who 
form  the  advance  guard  of  the  long  procession 
we  have  followed  from  below." 

"  Professor,  the  display  of  beautiful  objects 
gracing  this  monument  fills  me  with  wonder  that 


THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON.  47 

I  will  not  try  to  express.  Why,  they  are  scat- 
tered with  a  lavishness  that  one  expects  to  find 
only  iiidreamland.  I  have  a  half-feeling  as  if 
I  might  ^ow  be  treading  the  summit  of  an  air- 
castle,  and  as  if  a  sudden  stream  of  moonlidit 
might  awaken  me  to  the  dim  realities  of  nidit. 
But  if  that  be  so,  then  let  me  dream  on  forever, 
for  the  world  in  which  I  have  been  accustomed 
to  live  boasts  no  such  spectacles  as  this." 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

A  Bird^ s-Eye  Viev)  of  the  City, 

"  Mr.  Prognosis,  before  descending  to  the 
earth,  where  you  will  find  we  are  quite  as  prac- 
tical in  most  matters,  if  not  as  prosaic,  as  the 
most  matter-of-fact  mind  of  the  nineteenth  cen- 
tury could  desire,  I  hope  you  will  try  and  take 
in  a  general  view  of  the  grand  panorama  of  the 
city  and  its  suburbs  that  now  lies  spread  before 
you.  Your  eyes  will  soon  become  accustomed  to 
the  distances." 

"  But  I  feel  too  giddy  to  look  down." 
"  Let  us  then  look  afar  at  first.  There  to 
the  east  glitters  the  bay  ;  and  here  you  can  fol- 
low the  windings  of  the  rivers  that  pour  into  it, 
each  dotted  with  sailless  craft  and  crossed  by  a 
network  of  bridges,  especially  the  great  river  to 
the  west.  The  most  famous  of  the  bridges, 
known  as  '  The  Old  Bridge,'  is  very  clearly  visi- 
ble directly  to  the  north.  It  belongs  to  the 
same  period  as  this  Peace  Tower ;  and,  like  it, 
contains  a  display  of  statuary  that  is  certain  to 
give  you  j^leasurable  surprise.     Just   across  it 


THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON.  49 

you  see  our  two  far-famed  Pyramids  —  please 
don't  question  about  them  now,  for  you  shall 
examine  them  later.  To  the  northwest  the 
most  prominent  object  is  Mount  Energy,  with 
its  accompaniment  of  the  Solar  Steam- Works ; 
and  to  the  north  you  can  see  the  chief  scene  of 
my  labors.  Meridian  Observatory.  I  know  that 
you  bristle  with  questions,  but  please  be  a  little 
patient,  and  you  shall  have  an  opportunity  to 
inspect  all  these  wonder  works  in  detail.  In  the 
valley  below  us,  which  blazes  as  if  by  the  reflec- 
tion of  a  lake  in  noon  sunshine,  is  our  far-famed 
Sun  Palace  " — 

"  Excuse  me,  but  I  must  interrupt  with  jast 
one  question  !  These  cloud  shadows  that  now 
and  then  pass  us,  are  they  clouds,  or  huge  birds, 
or  balloons  of  some  kind  ?  '* 

"  They  are  air-ships.  You  shall  inspect  them 
too,  and  make  an  experimental  voyage  in  one, 
if  you  like.  But  let  us  first  complete  our  bird's- 
eye  view.  I  think  now  that  you  will  be  able  to 
look  below  without  discomfort,  and  perhaps  you 
will  prefer  to  study  the  nearer  aspect  of  the 
city  without  comments  from  me." 

Paul  gazed  down,  and  gradually  absorbed  the 
more  prominent  features  of  the  animated  pic- 
ture at  his  feet.  He  saw  that  the  eight  avenues 
radiating  from  the  Peace  Square  were  all  ex- 
tremely wide ;  and  he  now  noticed  that,  extend- 


50  THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON. 

ing  along  the  centre  of  each,  were  open  archways 
revealing  a  subway,  in  which  he  could  see  lines 
of  moving  railway  cars.  At  the  crossings,  the 
underground  streets  were  covered  by  the  bridge- 
like structure  which  evidently  composed  the  sur- 
face avenue  through  its  entire  length.  Each 
avenue  was  two-storied. 

"  What,"  asked  Paul,  "  is  the  purpose  of  the 
tall  masts  that  I  see  scattered  so  thickly  through 
the  city?  It  cannot  be  that  you  permit  tele- 
graph and  other  wires  to  be  strung  overhead  ?  " 

"  Certainly  not !  The  subway  gives  ample 
and  safe  accommodation  for  all  wires  and  pipes. 
These  masts  are  simply  supports  for  electric  suns 
by  which  we  convert  darkness  into  day,  so  that 
midnight  and  noon  are  scarcely  to  be  distin- 
guished in  Tone.  I  believe,  in  your  time,  that 
you  were  just  beginning  to  discover  the  useful- 
ness of  electricity  as  an  illuminator  and  motive 
force." 

"  Yes,  but  we  found  it  expensive  to  produce, 
impossible  to  store,  and,  at  times,  as  unmanage- 
able as  a  young  lion." 

"  We  have  now  domesticated  it.  It  took 
many  centuries  to  gain  a  complete  knowledge  of 
its  laws,  but  we  now  look  upon  these  as  simple 
enough,  and  we  handle  it  with  perfect  safety. 
As  to  expense,  we  catch  it  direct  from  the  sun's 
rays  and  from  the  winds  and  waves.     You  will 


THE    CRYSTAL   BUTTON.  51 

easily  comprehend  the  details  when  you  visit 
Mount  Energy,  that  monster  pile  to  the  north- 
west with  a  cap  of  white,  like  a  snow-covered 
hill." 

"  Your   buildings  —  how   few,   yet   how  vast 
they  are  !  " 

"  Yes  ;  each  covers  an  entire  square  or  block." 
"  And,   viewed  from  this  point,    each    seems 
to  taper  like  a  pyramid." 

"  That  is  the  form  of  construction  we  have 
adopted  as  most  convenient." 

"  But  it  would  seem  to  be  wasteful  of  space." 
"  Not  when  you  consider  that  the  centre  areas 
are  now  entirely  covered,  excepting  the  necessary 
air  and  light  shafts.  We  simply  transfer  the 
space  you  practically  wasted  as  areas,  to  the 
facades  to  our  buildings,  thereby  affording  a 
much  larger  surface  for  the  play  of  air  and  di- 
rect sunlight,  although  the  structures  themselves 
are  two,  three,  and  four  times  as  high  as  you 
thought  it  safe  to  pile  them.  At  the  same  time, 
the  streets  are  likewise  left  open  to  sunshine  and 
air.  You  will  readily  understand  that,  with 
vertical  buildings  of  such  height  as  these,  our 
streets  would  otherwise  be  converted  into  sunless 
alleyways.  Convenience  and  safety  of  entrance 
are  also  secured  b}''  this  method  of  construc- 
tion ;  and,  by  allowing  a  little  strip  of  garden 
along  the  successive  terraces,  we  convert  each 


52  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

building  in  summer  time  into  a  green  and  blos- 
soming hill.  But  this  is  one  of  the  subjects 
that  3^ou  will  better  understand  when  you  come 
to  examine  the  two  great  protot3q3es  of  this 
class  of  buildings,  which  I  pointed  out  to  you 
as  the  'Pyramids.'  They  were  the  happy 
thought  of  a  master-architect  who  lived  many 
centuries  ago,  and  who  designed  them  with 
special  reference  to  the  needs  of  mechanics  and 
others  having  small  incomes.  Land  in  the 
cities  had  become  so  valuable  that  small  houses 
were  no  longer  practicable,  even  for  the  com- 
paratively wealth}^ ;  and  tenement  houses  be- 
came dangerously  tall,  and  unhealthily  sunless 
and  ill-ventilated.  The  change  in  construction 
he  advocated  was  so  radical  that  it  met  with 
much  ridicule,  until  submitted  to  practical  test 
on  a  grand  scale  in  the  '  Pyramids  ; '  but  the  re- 
sult of  that  test  was  strikingly  successful  in 
every  respect,  and  proved  conclusively  that  the 
designer's  claim  of  maximum  comfort  and  health 
combined  with  minimum  expense  for  rent  and 
maintenance  was  as  firmly  founded  as  his  broad- 
based  structures.  Although  each  one,  in  its  ac- 
commodations, represented  a  good-sized  city, 
both  were  speedily  filled  with  occupants,  and 
leases  have  been  greatly  valued  ever  since." 

"  The  expense  of  building  must  have  been 
vast." 


THE    CRYSTAL   BUTT  OX.  53 

"  Yes,  the  first  expense  was ;  but  when  you 
remember  that  they  have  now  stood  for  many 
centuries,  and  are  still  in  perfectly  good  condi- 
tion to  serve  for  as  many  centuries  more,  you  will 
understand  that  this  investment  by  the  munici- 
pality has  proved  highly  advantageous.  We 
learned  by  your  experience  that  it  does  n't  pay 
to  build,  merely  to  tear  down  and  build  again. 
The  sjiirit  of  iconoclasm  has  been  well-nigh 
rooted  out.  We  build  to  stand  —  our  legal,  as 
well  as  our  stone-and-mortar  structures." 

"  In  spite  of  this  desirable  solidity  of  which 
you  speak,  I  find  a  suggestion  of  singular  light- 
ness and  cheerfulness  in  your  architecture." 

"  Yes ;  and  you  will  find  that  this  is  largely 
produced  by  the  extensive  use  of  glass  and  of 
gilded  and  silvered  ornaments.  We  seek  the 
free  distribution  of  sunlight  in  every  possible 
manner,  and  whatever  can  admit  or  reflect 
sunshine  is  gladly  introduced  in  our  buildings. 
The  vines  and  shrubbery  and  bay-windows  on 
the  terraces  also  help  to  break  the  long  cor- 
nice lines,  and  give  lightness  in  effect  as  well 
as  variety." 

*'  I  shall  now,"  said  Paul,  "  be  particularly 
interested  in  examining  your  underground 
world  and  the  construction  of  those  two-story 
streets ;  for  I  was  formerly  employed  by  a  rail- 
way company,  and  the  question  of  safe  passage 


54  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

through  thickly  populated  districts  was  always  a 
perplexing  one." 

"  Let  us  then  return  to  the  lower  world. 
You  see,  here  we  have  another  moving  platform 
that  will  speedily  transfer  us  to  the  street  with- 
out any  exertion  on  our  part.  See,  the  long 
procession  of  statues  seems  to  clamber  behind 
us  as  we  make  our  circling  descent ;  and  here 
we  are  again,  safely  deposited  in  the  public 
square." 


s 


CHAPTER  IX. 

The   Underground  Railway, 

"As  you  see,"  continued  Professor  Prosper, 
"  we  now  stand  upon  the  upper  street,  or  what 
we  call  the  '  highway,'  which  is  reserved  for 
pedestrians  and  pleasure  vehicles." 

"  But  I  see  no  horses." 

"  Oh  no,  we  do  not  allow  the  use  of  horses  in 
our  cities.  With  the  continued  increase  of  traf- 
fic, it  was  found  that  they  were  a  leading  source 
of  dust,  filth,  and  unpleasant  odors,  and  they 
also  impeded  pedestrian  travel  unnecessarily. 
At  the  same  time  our  needs  gave  rise  to  a  great 
variety  of  wheeled  vehicles  propelled  by  electric- 
ity or  compressed  air.  You  have  evidently  not 
noticed  that,  beyond  the  next  row  of  elms,  is  a 
roadway  filled  with  electric  vehicles,  continually 
passing.  These  make  no  dust,  no  sound,  are 
easily  guided,  and,  under  favorable  conditions, 
their  speed  far  exceeds  that  of  the  fleetest  horse. 
In  all  our  cities,  horses  have  been  relegated  to 
the  training-school  and  the  arena." 

"  But  of  course  they  are  still  used  in  the  coun- 
try." 


56  THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON. 

"  For  pleasure  purposes,  yes ;  but  not  for 
mere  motive  power,  for  they  would  be  too  ex- 
pensive. Electricity  and  compressed  air  do  all 
our  drudgery." 

"  You  continue  to  amaze  me." 

"  I  understand  that,  yet  you  must  prepare  to 
be  amazed  in  many  other  particulars  far  more 
important  than  this.  But,  as  I  began  to  say, 
this  '  highway '  is,  in  fact,  a  scaffolding,  built 
sometimes  of  stone,  but  more  often,  during  late 
years,  of  a  peculiar  preparation  of  aluminium, 
which  is  now  the  commonest  of  all  metals,  and 
particularly  adapted  for  purposes  of  construc- 
tion, owing  to  its  lightness,  strength,  and  free- 
dom from  injury  by  oxidation.  It  is  also  beau- 
tiful ;  do  you  not  think  so  ?  " 

"  The  iron  that  we  used  must  certainly  give  it 
the  palm  on  that  score." 

"  We  of  course  use  aluminium  for  all  our 
common  household  utensils," 

"  But  how  do  you  obtain  it  ?  " 

"From  clay,  by  the  simjDlest  possible  mode 
of  reduction.  It  is  one  of  the  mysteries  why 
you  failed  to  discover  it." 

"  It  was  not  because  we  did  n't  strain  every 
faculty." 

"  No ;  you  strained  too  much.  You  looked 
too  far.  You  held  the  secret  in  the  hand,  and 
forgot  to  open  the  hand." 


THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON.  57 

"  Very  likely,"  sighed  Paul.  "  The  micro- 
scope has  no  doubt  given  the  world  more  useful 
hints  than  the  telescope." 

"  Well,  on  this  '  highway,'  as  you  will  notice, 
are  the  main  entrances  to  dwellings,  hotels,  and 
comaiercial  warehouses,  while  below  are  other 
entrances  where  all  merchandise  and  bulky  ar- 
ticles are  received  direct  from  the  City  Service 
freight-cars.  In  the  middle  of  the  subway  are 
the  transit  lines  for  passengers,  separated  by 
broad  passages  from  the  freight  tracks,  and  with 
power  elevators  that  give  easy  access  to  the 
*  highway.'  But  let  us  take  a  trial  trip,  and 
you  will  then  see  for  yourself." 
~~^  Paul  took  one  parting  glance  about  him  be- 
fore they  descended,  fascinated  by  the  bright 
faces  of  the  great  throngs  of  people  who  passed 
him. 

"  You  apparently  have  no  beggars  in  your 
streets,"  he  said,  half  questioningly. 

"  I  should  hope  not.  Oh  no,  beggary  is  one 
of  the  many  things  of  the  remote  past.  It  was 
merely  a  result  of  certain  unhealthy  conditions, 
including  waste,  extravagance,  avariciousness, 
crime,  and  disease,  which  flourished  in  your 
time,  and  fruited  and  dropped  their  natural 
seed." 

"  But  you  cannot  have  abolished  crime  by 
leo'al  enactments." 


58  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

"  No ;  but  we  have  so  reduced,  where  we  have 
not  entirely  removed,  the  chief  inducements  to 
crime,  including  poverty,  excess  of  wealth,  in- 
justice, and  ambition  for  undeserved  power, 
inevitably  leading  to  tyranny,  that  it  is  now 
infrequent.  While  I  was  recently  engaged  in 
consulting  newspaper  files  dating  from  the  nine- 
teenth century,  I  was  painfully  struck  by  the 
fact  that  nearly  all  the  news  most  prominently 
heralded  related  to  crimes,  accidents,  and  wars  or 
rumors  of  war.  Although  the  world  is  now  much 
more  densely  populated,  and  the  means  of  com- 
munication nearly  instantaneous,  our  daily  news- 
papers seldom  make  mention  of  crimes  or  acci- 
dents —  simply  because  they  seldom  occur  ;  and 
of  course  we  no  longer  have  our  nerves  excited, 
pleasurably  or  otherwise,  by  news  of  war  or  re- 
bellion, as  those  are  conditions  quite  impossible 
under  the  present  regime.  In  brief,  Mr.  Prog- 
nosis, the  news  in  your  day  was  mainly  detective 
news,  while  ours  nearly  all  relates  to  social  life, 
science,  art  and  amusements." 

While  thus  speaking,  they  had  descended  the 
elevator  to  a  broad  stone  platform  skirting  the 
main  track.  There  were  four  pairs  of  rails  in 
the  central  portion  of  the  subway ;  and  on  the 
track  next  the  platform  where  Paul  was  stand- 
ing, he  noticed  a  car  at  rest,  into  which  persons 
were  entering  by  side  doors  and  taking  seats. 


THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTOX.  59 

Just  at  this  moment  a  long  train,  drawn  by 
some  invisible  force,  flew  rapidly  by  him,  on 
one  of  the  inner  tracks,  and  to  its  side  was  at- 
tached a  small  car  like  that  which  stood  before 
him,  which  was  speeding  forward  on  the  same 
near  track.  He  watched  attentively,  expecting 
to  see  the  two  small  cars  collide.  But,  just  in 
the  nick  of  time,  the  small  moving  car  was  cast 
off  and  came  to  a  standstill,  while  the  other 
small  car  was  caught  up  by  the  train,  which 
never  slackened  its  tremendous  speed,  and 
whirled  out  of  sight. 

"Beautiful!"  cried  Paul.  "I  don't  at  all 
understand  how  it  is  done  so  easily,  but  I  see 
that  it  is  done,  and  I  see  that  you  have  settled 
the  question  of  rapid  transit  without  reference 
to  the  number  of  intermediate  stations." 

"  Exactly  so !  The  small  car,  as  you  have 
observed,  acts  as  a  tender,  allowing  passengers 
to  join  the  main  train  and  then  take  their  seats 
in  calmness  and  comfort  while  it  is  still  run- 
ning at  full  speed." 

"  It  is  of  course  dropped  in  the  same  man- 
ner." 

"  Yes,  it  works  both  ways.  Each  tender  is 
carried  to  the  next  station  on  the  line,  and  then 
successively  all  along  the  circuit." 

"  But  there  must  be  cross-lines  —  bow  are  col- 
lisions prevented  ?  " 


60  THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON. 

"  Easily  enoiigli !  All  the  lines  in  the  city 
are  run  under  one  general  management,  and  all 
precisely  on  time.  In  fact,  the  several  trains 
act  like  several  parts  of  one  vast  machine,  and 
the  movements  of  all  are  as  accurately  timed  as 
the  beats  of  a  clock,  which  is  perfectly  practica- 
ble under  this  system." 

"  But  how  is  it  that  the  people  can  safely 
change  places  while  the  cars  are  in  such  rapid 
motion,  and  especially  the  aged  and  infirm?" 

''  There  is  little  motion,  as  you  will  soon  see, 
for  the  road-beds  as  well  as  the  cars  are  per- 
fectly constructed.  There  is  no  difficulty  about 
that.  But  see  for  yourself.  Here  is  a  tender 
awaitins:  ns.  And  here  comes  the  train  —  and 
here  we  are  aboard  the  train  —  and  the  tender 
dropped,  and  another  at  our  side !  Did  you 
ever  see  anything  easier  than  that  ?  " 

"  Never !  And  now  —  if  you  please.  Profes- 
sor, I  would  like  to  know  something  about  this 
new  motive  force  of  which  you  have  spoken.  I 
presume  it  is  used  on  these  trains,  is  it  not?" 

"  Yes.  Well,  it  is  based  on  a  very  simple 
but  peculiar  application  of  compressed  air.  I 
should  need  diagrams  to  fully  explain  it.  But 
I  can  now  say  that  this  compressed  air  is  con- 
veyed to  all  parts  of  the  city  by  pipes,  the 
source  of  supply  being  a  short  distance  out  of 
town.     To-morrow,  if  you  like,  with  Marco  as  a 


TEE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON.  61 

guide,  you  can  visit  the  central  works ;  and,  if  I 
am  not  mistaken,  you  will  see  something  worth 
your  while." 

"I  have  no  doubt  of  it.  The  only  fear  I 
have  is,  that  you  may  show  me  so  many  wonders 
that  I  shall  lose  my  wits.  You  see,  a  nineteenth 
century  brain  has  to  expand  itself  considerably 
to  house  the  realities  of  your  present." 

"True   enough.     Yet  you   will  find  that  we 
do  all  things  in  such  an  orderly  manner  that  we 
also  do  them  easily  as  well  as  rapidly ;  and  you 
will  soon  learn  to  do  the  same.     Life  is  much 
easier  now  than  with  you.     You,  as  I  under- 
stand it,  were  always  in  a  driving  hurry,  and 
rather  proud  of  the  fact  than  otherwise.     When 
any  one  nowadays  is  seen  in  a  hurry,  we  know 
that  he  is  either  correcting  an   error,  or  that 
he  lacks  order  and  system  in  his  plans.     You 
wasted  time,  just  as  you  wasted  everything  else. 
We  value  time  as  our  first  of  all  boons  —  it  is 
our  life  —  and  we  count  every  day  another  op- 
portunity freighted  with   duties   that  we   take 
pleasure  in  performing." 

"But  doesn't  this  make  life  a  rather  dull 
treadmill  ?  " 

"Not  at  all,  because  we  include  all  possible 
pleasures  that  are  not  harmful  in  any  way,  as 
part  of  the  duties  of  life.  Dull  treadmill,  in- 
deed !     And  that  phrase  in  the  mouth  of  a  nine- 


62  THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON. 

teenth  century  man  !  You  must  excuse  me  for 
smiling,  please.  Why,  life  nowadays  is  one 
round  of  pleasures.'' 

"  But  how  about  your  work?  Does  anybody 
find  work  a  pleasure  ?  " 

"  Of  course.  Why  not  ?  The  difference  be- 
tween work  and  play  is  slighter  than  you  think. 
Action  is  the  source  of  all  enjoyment.  Work  is 
forced  action,  excessive  action,  or  action  to  which 
one's  powers  are  not  adapted.  Play  is  willing 
action  in  ways  that  are  best  adapted  to  one's 
powers.  We  choose  our  workers  and  set  them 
to  work  on  this  principle.  Whatever  a  man  can 
really  do  well,  he  can  usually  do  easily,  and  he 
usually  likes  to  do  it.  If  he  does  n't,  then  we 
hold  out  attractions  in  the  way  of  higher  ambi- 
tions, that  stitnulate  him  by  the  drawing  process 
more  effectually  than  any  whiplash  of  want  or 
fear  could  possibly  push  him." 

"  Well,  I  certainly  approve  the  theory  and  the 
principle,  but  I  should  n't  think  it  would  work 
in  practical  life." 

"  I  can  only  say  that,  under  proper  guidance 
and  training  through  many  generations,  it  has 
come  to  w^ork  very  satisfactorily.  If  founded  on 
truth,  it  must  work,  Mr.  Prognosis,  just  as  soon 
as  we  give  it  a  full  opportunity  to  work.  A  cor- 
rect theory  is  merely  an  unrealized  truth.  Is  n't 
that  so?" 


THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON.  63 

"  I  suppose  SO ;  but  really,  Professor,  your 
remarks  suggest  to  my  mind  so  many  problems, 
and  from  such  a  novel  point  of  view,  that  I  don't 
feel  fully  competent  to  pass  verdict  on  all  of 
them.  I  simply  accept  your  statement  that  work 
can  be  converted  into  play  without  the  happy 
victim  knowing  or  caring  whether  it 's  one  or  the 
other.  The  statement  interests  me,  and  there- 
fore pleases  me." 

"And  you  thereby  illustrate  the  very  point  of 
my  argument.  You  thereby  convert  the  hard 
work  of  investigation  into  a  recreation.  To  use 
an  expression  from  your  own  day,  you  therefore 
'  change  your  stage-coach  into  a  gentleman's 
four-in-hand.'  " 

"  I  gladly  plead  guilty." 

"  And  I,  as  gladly,  suspend  sentence." 

"  May  it  please  the  judge  to  listen  to  another 
inquiry  ?  " 

"  Certainly." 

"  Do  you  use  reciprocating  engines  for  your 
condensed  air  ?  " 

"  No.  The  air-wheel  is  by  far  preferable.  I 
am  aware  of  the  efforts  of  inventors  in  your  day 
to  produce  a  useful  steam-engine  on  the  rotary 
plan,  and  their  lack  of  success  ;  but  with  com- 
pressed air  there  is  much  less  difSculty.  We 
have  no  heat  to  contend  with ;  and  soft  leather 
packing,  so  arranged  that  it  is  made  tight  by 


64  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

pressure,  reduces  the  friction  to  a  minimum. 
The  present  engine  is  exceedingly  simple.  I  will 
show  you  plans  that  I  have  at  home." 

"  But  are  these  tender  -  cars  started  by  the 
same  plan  ?  " 

"  Not  exactly.  In  that  case  a  simple  cylinder 
and  piston  are  placed  in  an  upright  position, 
and  at  the  proper  moment  the  piston  is  forced 
up.  This  rotates  the  toothed  wheel  which  you 
see  here.  Watch  the  tender  we  are  now  ap- 
proaching, and  you  will  see  more  than  I  can 
exj^lain." 

Paul  watched  as  directed.  He  saw  one  tender 
cast  off  just  in  time  to  come  to  rest  at  the  right 
point,  with  its  forward  end  just  over  a  great 
wheel.  Under  the  tender  in  w^aiting  a  similar 
propulsion  wheel  began  to  revolve,  slowly  at  iirst, 
but  gradually  increasing  its  revolutions  until  the 
departing  tender  left  it  at  full  speed,  ranged 
itself  alongside  the  train,  and  was  promptly 
hooked  on. 

"  Excuse  me.  Professor,  but  I  did  not  see  you 
pay  our  fares  as  we  entered.  Do  we  do  that 
upon  leaving  the  station  ?  " 

"  Fares  ?  Oh,  there  are  no  fares.  All  is  per- 
fectly free." 

"  But  how  are  the  companies  compensated  ?  " 

"  There  are  no  companies.  The  Government 
runs  and  operates  all  lines  of  transportation  for 


THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON.  65 

either  passengers  or  freight,  as  well  as  all  other 
means  of  communication,  by  road,  wire,  or  tube, 
including   mail  carriage,  telegraphs,  telephones, 

and  pneumatic-tube  service.    And  all  are  free 

perfectly  free.  In  your  time  you  had  started  in 
this  direction  by  making  many  of  your  highways 
and  bridges  free  to  the  public,  and  mail-matter 
nearly  so.  As  the  people  supply  the  labor  that 
supports  all  the  public  conveniences  I  have  men- 
tioned, they  are  certainly  entitled  to  their  use. 
Please  understand  that  the  people  and  the  Gov- 
ernment are  one  —  they  are  synonymous  terms." 


CHAPTER  X. 

The  Hospital, 

When,  after  a  few  minutes  of  rapid  flight  in 
the  railway,  they  alighted  at  the  riverside,  the 
Professor  explained  that  he  had  stopped  at  this 
point  in  order  to  give  his  visitor  an  opportunity 
to  see  one  of  the  several  hospitals  scattered 
about  the  suburbs  of  the  city. 

"  You  seemed  interested  by  references  I  made 
to  beggary  and  crime,  and  it  occurred  to  me 
that  you  would  like  this  opportunity  to  glance 
at  one  of  our  hospitals,  which  will  indicate  cer- 
tain provisions  now  made  for  the  maintenance 
of  health,  and  having  an  important  influence  on 
those  questions." 

"  You  are  very  kind.  You  will  find  me  an  in- 
terested spectator  and  listener.  But  first,  please 
let  me  ask  a  few  questions.  You  alluded  to  dis- 
ease as  one  of  the  exciting  causes  of  poverty, 
and  hence  of  crime,  in  my  day.  You  surely  can- 
not have  banished  disease  !  " 

'*  Not  entirely,  j^et  very  largely.  Death  still 
awaits  us  all,  and,  throughout  life,  we  still  suffer 


THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON.  67 

those  ills  to  which  flesh  seems  naturally  and  in- 
evitably heir.  But  the  records  show  that  most 
of  the  diseases  that  brought  distress  to  the  an- 
cients were  unnecessary ;  they  were  mainly  such 
as  were  directly  attributable  to  poor  or  inappro- 
priate food,  poor  drainage,  lack  of  sunshine  and 
fresh  air,  lack  of  exercise  or  too  much  of  it,  vice 
of  many  kinds,  and  ignorance  of  even  the  sim- 
plest laws  of  physical  well-being.  By  removing 
those  prolific  sources  of  disease,  the  world  first 
cured  the  majority  of  its  patients,  then  prevented 
further  accessions  to  the  ranks,  and  gradually 
reduced  the  liability  of  recurrence  of  the  same 
weaknesses  in  offspring.  Indeed,  large  classes 
of  disorders  which  you  looked  upon  as  incurable 
are  now  practically  unknown,  excepting  as  spo- 
radic examples  that  are  rather  welcomed  than 
otherwise  by  our  physicians." 

"  AVhat  one,  for  instance  ?  " 

"  Well,  most  notably  what  you  used  to  call 
'  tubercular  consumption.'  A  case  of  that  kind 
is  now  a  curiosity  ;  and  the  patient  is  promptly 
removed  where  there  may  be  no  possibility  of 
his  distributing  the  microbes  that  produce  it.  I 
also  recall  what  you  knew  as  'chclera,'  'small- 
pox,' '  yellow  fever  !  and  '  leprosy.'  Let  me  tell 
you  that  we  deal  wjth  disease  as  a  deadly  enemy 
that  deserves  no  qrarter.  We  first  adopt  every 
possible  means  of  prevention.     For  instance,  we 


68  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

respect  certain  marriage  rules  that  you  would  no 
doubt  consider  arbitrary  and  harsh,  but  which 
have  resulted  in  so  improving  the  world's  health 
that  all  people  now  recognize  their  justness  and 
propriety.  No  diseased  or  deformed  person  who 
is  liable  to  communicate  serious  imperfection  of 
any  kind  to  offspring  is  ever  allowed  to  marry." 

"  But  how  can  you  prevent  marriages  ?  " 

"  By  the  same  means  that  we  effect  them  — 
by  law;  and  our  laws  mean  more  than  mere 
written  statutes.  They  are  founded  on  justice 
and  right.  The  public  recognizes  this  fact,  and 
every  person  feels  it  for  his  own  interest,  as  well 
as  for  the  public  good,  to  see  that  they  are  en- 
forced. You  were  not  so  blind  but  that  you 
found  it  right  to  prevent  a  lunatic  or  a  leper 
from  marrjdng  —  and  3'ou  even  banished  the 
latter  forever  as  a  hopeless  outcast.  But  you 
nourished  in  your  homes  diseases  that  were  even 
more  readily  communicable,  and  quite  as  danger- 
ous to  life  and  health  and  moral  stamina." 

't  True  —  too  true  !  " 

"  But  now  let  us  take  a  distant  view  of  the 
hospital,  which,  as  you  see,  consists  of  a  number 
of  small  buildings  arranged  in  a  semicircle  on 
the  little  island  before  us.  "^here  are  eighteen 
buildings  in  the  line,  and  yo  \  will  notice  that 
they  are  divided  by  walls  i  ito  three  distinct 
groups.     Those  to  the  left  '.re   devoted  to  par 


THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON.  69 

tients  sufeering  from  ailments  affecting  the  mind, 
.  including  imbeciles  and  the.  insane  ;  the  centrj 
groiq)  to  those  who  are  physically  ill  or  injured ; 
while  the  three  to  the  right  are  occupied  by 
those  who  are  morally  deranged." 
"  Morally  deranged  ?  " 

"Yes,  I  believe  you  used  to  ap23ly  the  term 
'prison'  to  the  institution  used  for  the  confine- 
ment of  moral  patients." 

"They  are  convicts,  then?  But  why  are 
these  associated  with  your  hospitals  ?  " 

"  Why  not?     They  constitute  a  part,  though 
happily  a  small  part,  of  the  patients  that  come 
under  the  same  management  and  treatment." 
"  You  astound  me  !  " 

"  We  simply  treat  them  as  persons  who  are 
morally  deformed  or  ailino." 

"  But  how  do  you  punish  them  ?  " 
"  We  know  no  such  thing  as  punishment  in 
their  case.  We  confine  them,  partly  for  their 
own  good,  to  prevent  their  doing  further  injury 
to  themselves,  and  partly  with  reference  to  pub- 
lie  safety;  but  the  idea  of  ^punishment,'  in  the 
sense  in  which  it  was  known  to  your  system  of 
criminal  jurisprudence,  has  no  part  in  ours. 
Vice  and  crime  are  sufficient  punishment  in 
themselves." 

"  Not  where  conscience  is  lackino-." 

"  But  that  is  seldom,  and   especially  in  the 


70  THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON. 

early  history  of  crime,  where  our  liiws  mainly 
apply.  In  the  case  of  impaired  or  undeveloped 
conscience,  responsibility  would  be  reduced,  and 
your  so-called  '  punishment '  was  liable  to  be 
needlessly  harsh.  It  is  clear  that  a  person  ut- 
terly without  conscience,  or  knowledge  of  right 
or  wrong,  would  deserve  merely  the  treatment 
of  a  beast  —  confinement." 

"  Under  such  conditions,  your  places  of  con- 
finement must  be  of  vast  number  and  extent." 

*'  No ;  I  think  there  are  only  eight  other 
hospitals  in  Tone,  and  they  are  merely  receiving 
stations.  All  our  permanent  patients  are  in  the 
buildings  now  before  you." 

*'  Why,  Boston  of  my  time  required  buildings 
of  twenty  times  the  number  and  size  for  its  hos- 
pitals, asylums,  and  houses  of  correction ;  and 
the  present  city  must  be  many  times  as  popu- 
lous." 

"  About  twenty  times,  I  believe." 

"  Professor,  I  do  not  yet  understand  the  se- 
cret of  this  wonderful  decrease  in  sickness  and 
crime." 

"  There  are  many  causes,  but  none  are  mys- 
terious or  in  any  way  surprising  to  us  now,  al- 
though some  of  them  may  appear  so  to  you.  I 
have  already  explained  to  you  several  of  the 
means  by  which  we  have  gradually  decreased 
the  spread  of  communicable  diseases,  until  they 


THE    CRYSTAL   BUTTON.  71 

are  now  well-nigh  stamped  out.  There  was  one 
means  that  was  adopted  many  centuries  ago, 
which  I  did  not  mention,  but  which  has  proved 
of  supreme  service  in  the  work  of  purifying  the 
blood  of  successive  generations.  It  applies  to 
all  persons,  whether  mental,  physical,  or  moral 
patients,  who  are  ever  committed  to  this  institu- 
tion, and  it  goes  into  effect  as  soon  as  the  Coun- 
cil of  Judges  has  pronounced  judgment  that  the 
taint  —  mental,  physical,  or  moral  —  is  incurable 
and  liable  to  be  communicated  to  offspring. 
By  an  instantaneous  and  painless  operation,  the 
patient  is  rendered  forever  sterile." 

"  It  seems  barbarously  cruel." 

"  Excuse  me,  but  that  is  because  you  view  the 
subject  from  a  nineteenth  century  standpoint, 
which  had  no  horizon,  but  was  wholly  occupied 
with  evils  of  the  hour.  Without  this  wise  pro- 
vision, we  should  be  obliged  to  keep  our  pa- 
tients in  confinement  throughout  their  natural 
lives,  for  it  is  contrary  to  every  rule  of  justice 
that  physical  and  moral  disease  afflicting  the 
present  generation  should  be  allowed  to  cast  its 
curse  upon  a  helpless  and  innocent  generation 
yet  unborn.  We  recognize  that  we  owe  some- 
thing to  future  generations  as  well  as  to  those 
that  have  preceded  us  ;  and  we  try  to  do  our 
duty  by  them  in  tliis  respect.  By  this  simple 
precaution,  continued  through  centuries,  a  thou- 


72  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

sand  taints  of  mind,  body,  and  naorals,  that  ren- 
dered reform  in  your  day  difficult  to  the  very 
verge  of  impossibility,  have  steadily  been  eradi- 
cated, until  the  question  of  inherited  €lisease,  in- 
cluding that  of  vice,  is  now  one  of  the  minor 
ones,  over  which  we  have  almost  perfect  con- 
trol." 

"But  the  enactment  of  such  a  law  must,  at 
first,  have  aroused  bitter  opposition  on  the  part 
of  the  public.  Its  very  suggestion  in  my  day 
would  have  called  down  universal  condemna- 
tion." 

"  My  dear  Mr.  Prognosis,  please  try  and  un- 
derstand that,  since  the  inauguration  of  the 
reign  of  general  peace,  the  peoj^le  have  really 
been  the  law-makers  as  well  as  the  governors. 
For  us  to  find  fault  with  our  laws  would  be  to 
convict  ourselves  of  error  in  enacting  them. 
You  may  be  sure-  that  a  law  of  this  importance 
was  not  adopted  until  public  sentiment  had  ac- 
cepted it  as  right  and  proper.  It  first  had  to 
meet  the  test  of  the  White  Button  standard  of 
truth  and  justice.  That  question  settled,  a  pub- 
lic sentiment  that  has  gradually  been  educated 
to  the  acceptance  of  every  dictate  of  justice 
simply  demanded  it.  Results  have  fully  proved 
the  wisdom  of  its  adoption." 

"  And  it  is  still  in  operation  ?  " 

"  Yes,  though  seldom  enforced  in  these  days. 


THE    CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 


Its  function  was  mainly  performed  in  centuries 
now  long  passed,  when  the  power  of  the  crimi- 
nal classes   often  blocked  the  wheels  of  prog- 


ress. 


"  You  spoke  of  the  great  size  of  Tone.  Is  it 
the  largest  of  your  cities  ?  " 

"  By  no  means.  There  are  scores  that  are 
its  equal  and  several  that  are  much  larger.  The 
most  populous  of  all  in  the  Americas  is  located 
on  the  isthmus  connecting  the  two  continents, 
which  stands  at  the  crossroads  where  converge 
all  the  chief  lines  of  travel,  north  and  south, 
east  and  west,  by  land  and  by  sea.  That  great 
cosmopolis  of  Carrefour  has  a  population  of  over 
fifty  millions." 

"  I  never  heard  of  it." 

"  It  had  no  reason  to  be,  when,  in  your  day, 
South  America  had  hardly  given  a  sign  of  its 
magnificent  future,  and  when  the  entire  navies 
of  your  globe  scarcely  equaled  those  that  now 
daily  pass  through  our  inter-continental  canals. 
The  city  of  Carrefour  grew  naturally  from  a  lit- 
tle port  into  a  mammoth  metropolis,  by  reason 
of  the  steady  development  of  all  countries  south 
of  the  equator,  which  was  just  beginning  in  your 
day  and  has  continued  with  rapid  strides  ever 
since.  The  formation  of  new  governments 
founded  on  the  principles  of  modern  civilization, 
symbolized  by  this  white  button  I  wear,  gave 


74  THE    CRYSTAL    BUTTOX. 

opportunities  for  testing  the  Costoriau  theory 
with  a  freedom  that  was  impossible  under  the 
older  governments.  The  result  was  a  complete 
vindication  of  Costor's  teachings." 

"  Costor  ?  Who  was  Costor  ?  And  what  was 
his  theory  of  government?" 

"  To  know  that  is  to  know  the  foundation  of 
modern  civilization.  To-morrow  evening,  if  time 
will  allow,  I  will  try  and  tell  you  about  it.  This 
hospital  you  have  just  seen  is  a  type  of  one  of 
the  many  modern  institutions  that  have  been  de- 
veloped in  their  present  form  from  the  clear, 
straightforward  teachings  of  that  master  man. 
You  shall  know  about  him  later,  and  then  you 
will  understand  many  things  underlying  our 
present  ideas  and  customs  that  might  otherwise 
appear  inexplicable." 


CHAPTER   XL 

The  Pyramids, 

Leaving  the  hospital,  they  walked  along  the 
paved  embankment  about  half  a  mile,  until,  upon 
rounding  a  hill,  they  found  themselves  at  the  ap- 
proach to  the  "  Old  Bridge,"  one  of  many  cross- 
ing the  mighty  salt  stream,  but  the  noblest  of 
them.  There  it  loomed  before  them,  and  Paul's 
practiced  eye  studied  the  magnificent  sweep  of 
its  arches.  The  solid  wall  above  the  arches  was 
almost  wholly  covered  by  elaborate  and  beauti- 
ful designs,  deeply  cut  in  the  solid  stone ;  and 
at  the  crown  of  each  arch  was  a  projecting  key- 
stone, which  formed  the  base  of  a  pilaster-like 
column,  thus  dividing  the  scidptured  belt  into 
panels.  Surmounting  the  wall,  directly  over 
these  pilasters,  were  huge  blocks  of  stone  on 
which  rested  bronze  figures  of  all  known  ani- 
mals, singly  or  in  groups,  the  larger  at  the  ends 
of  the  structure  and  the  smaller  at  the  centre, 
in  regular  gradation.  They  were  all  of  ex- 
quisite workmanship,  resembling  those  on  the 
Peace  Monument. 


76  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

"This,"  said  the  Professor,  "is  one  of  the 
chief  landmarks  of  onr  city,  if  I  may  so  call 
it.  You  would  hardly  think  it  a  thousand  years 
old,  yet  such  is  the  fact ;  the  cement  that  binds 
the  stones  is  as  enduring  as  the  solid  granite 
itself,  and  the  entire  structure  as  indestructible 
as  though  carved  from  the  everlasting  hills." 

"  It  is  grand  —  grand  beyond  the  J30wer  of 
words!''  said  Paul,  who  found  himself  running 
short  of  original  modes  of  exj)ressing  his  oft- 
excited  admiration. 

"  Well,  let  us  now  follow  the  upper  roadway 
to  the  centre  arch.  Here,  at  this  end,  as  you 
will  notice,  is  the  '  Arch  of  the  Elephants,'  as  it 
is  called,  which  is  mated  at  the  other  end  by  the 
'  Arch  of  the  Mastodons.'  Next  to  these,  on 
either  side,  are  the  camels  and  the  behemoths. 
After  leaving  the  riverbanks  come  the  hippopot- 
ami and  crocodiles ;  and,  over  the  centre  of  the 
stream,  are  all  kinds  of  fishes.  See  !  we  are  now 
among  the  fishes.  And  here,  from  the  top  of 
this  central  arch,  we  have  our  best  view  of  the 
Pyramids,  to  which  I  called  your  attention  from 
the  Peace  Monument.  Please  understand  that 
we  have  not  wasted  our  time  and  substance  in 
reproducing  those  old  EgyjDtian  tombs,  which 
are  as  famous  in  our  day  as  in  yours.  Ours 
are  quite  as  large,  but  they  are  for  the  living. 
You  shall  see  for  yourself." 


THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON.  77 

As  they  mounted  the  avenue  that  led  from  the 
"Old  Bridge,"  Paul  continued  to  gaze  with  in- 
creasing wonder  on  the  two  massive  piles  cut- 
ting the  horizon  before  him,  that  had  every 
appearance  of  two  pointed  mountains  firmly 
planted  on  the  plateau.  They  were  located  about 
half  a  mile  from  the  river,  one  on  either  side  of 
the  avenue,  and  surrounded  by  groves  of  trees. 
They  stood  in  sombre  majesty,  their  form  sug- 
gesting strength  and  permanence  in  the  highest 
degree.  As  the  wondering  spectator  approached 
nearer,  he  could  see  that  their  sides  were  cov- 
ered as  with  a  fresco  of  many  tints,  broken  by 
spots  of  color  and  reflected  light ;  and  their 
vast  proportions  became  more  and  more  over- 
whelming. 

"  Can  it  be  possible,"  asked  Paul,  "  that  those 
are  the  windows  of  human  dwellings  which  I 
see  in  sparkling  lines  along  those  stairlike  ter- 
races ?  " 

"  Windows  ?  yes  ;  and  dwellings  ?  yes  —  more 
than  four  thousand  dwellings  in  each  pyramid, 
and  very  good  ones  too,  supplied  with  every 
convenience  as  well  as  every  household  necessity 
of  this  most  comfortable  age.  The  South  Pyra- 
mid alone  has  a  present  population  of  about 
twenty-two  thousand  persons." 

"  They  strike  me  as  more  like  ant-hills  magni- 
fied into  mountains  than  human  habitations." 


78  THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON. 

"  Well,"  said  the  Professor  smiling,  "  that  is 
just  what  they  are  sometimes  called.  But  the 
people  who  live  in  them  are  mostly  artisans,  who 
are  both  industrious  and  proud  of  their  indus- 
try, and  therefore  not  averse  to  being  likened  to 
that  intelligent  little  six-legged  worker.  But 
you  will  see  —  you  will  see !  We  will  inspect 
this  southern  ant-hill." 

Paul  spoke  scarcely  a  word  during  the  re- 
mainder of  the  walk,  but  kept  his  eyes  fixed  on 
the  pyramid  they  were  now  rapidly  approach- 
ing, which  seemed  to  expand  in  height  and  bulk 
with  every  step  he  took. 

"  On  each  of  the  four  sides,"  explained  the 
Professor,  "  there  are  several  converging  lines 
of  inclined  railways,  all  entrance  being  by  the 
exterior ;  and  here  we  now  are  at  Station  No. 
29.  Step  into  this  car  and  we  will  go  immedi- 
ately to  the  summit.  I  often  come  here  to  en- 
joy the  charming  view  from  the  upper  terraces, 
and  also  to  breathe  the  invigorating  air,  for  the 
breezes  love  to  visit  here  even  when  they  desert 
us  in  the  lower  city." 

"  But  I  should  think  it  would  be  extremely 
hot  on  a  breathless  summer  afternoon." 

*'  Oh  no !  for  it  is  then  a  bower  of  vines  and 
shade  trees.  Do  you  not  see  that  every  entrance 
has  its  little  strip  of  soil,  planted  with  trees  and 
shrubs  ?  In  summer  these  gardens  are  more 
beautiful  than  I  can  describe." 


THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON.  79 

"  And  in  winter,  is  it  not  frightfully  bleak 
and  windy  ?  " 

"  No  more  so  than  in  any  place  where  air 
and  sunshine  have  free  entrance.  The  dwell-, 
ings  are  so  constructed  that  they  can  be  made 
perfectly  snug  and  comfortable  in  the  coldest 
weather,  with  abundance  of  hot  air  that  can  be 
turned  on  at  any  moment ;  while  the  railways 
afford  the  easiest  possible  communication  with 
the  rest  of  the  world." 

Seating  themselves  in  the  car  that  awaited 
them,  they  started  on  their  upward  climb,  pro- 
ceeding rather  slowl}'',  while  the  conductor  con- 
tinued crying  out  "  Fourth  I  "  ''  Fifth  !  "  and 
so  on  up  to  the  forty-fourth  terrace,  when  they 
were  as  near  the  top  as  the  Professor  cared  to 
go. 

"  Ah  !  "  said  Paul,  as  he  sniffed  the  pure  and 
invigorating  air,  "  this  is  indeed  better  than  the 
rookeries  we  called  'tenements,'  built  in  verti- 
cal blocks  in  narrow,  sunless  streets,  where  the 
working-people  in  our  cities  were  huddled  in 
their  so-called  homes." 

As  they  walked  along,  the  Professor  explained 
that  each  terrace  was  fifteen  feet  in  height  and 
depth,  and  that  each  dwelling  had  a  frontage 
upon  it  of  twenty  feet.  The  flooring  of  each 
was  four  feet  above  the  terrace,  so  that  the  door 
was   reached  by  a  few   steps  ;  and   under   the 


80  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

main  windows  of  eacli  were  low  broad  windows 
serving  to  light  and  ventilate  the  lower  or  base- 
ment rooms.  He  further  stated  that,  in  most 
cases,  a  single  dwelling  consisted  of  four  princi- 
pal rooms :  two  in  front,  besides  the  hallway, 
and  two  at  the  rear ;  while  still  others,  without 
light  from  the  front,  were  carried  further  into 
the  interior  and  formed  excellent  sleeping  apart- 
ments, as  they  were  fairly  well  lighted  and  per- 
fectly ventilated  by  central  shafts,  down  which 
the  sun's  rays  were  directed  by  an  ingenious 
system  of  reflectors. 

"  But  how  is  it  possible  to  utilize  the  central 
portion  of  this  mountain  of  stone  and  iron  and 
glass  ?  " 

*'  At  its  base  it  is  honeycombed  by  chambers 
used  as  municipal  storehouses  for  surj^lus  food. 
The  lower  two  tiers  consist  of  a  vast  number  of 
heavily-arched  vaults  devoted  to  cold  storage; 
and  on  the  outer  margin  of  the  second  tier,  be- 
tween the  vaults  and  the  dwelling  apartments, 
is  an  encircling  arched  corridor,  the  floor  of 
which  can  be  flooded  and  frozen  over  at  any 
time,  even  in  midsummer,  and  thus  be  converted 
into  a  skating  galler3\" 

''  How  is  the  process  of  freezing  accom- 
plished ?  " 

"  By  merely  releasing  compressed  air  under 
high  pressure  from  pipes   communicating  with 


THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON.  81 

Mount  Energy.  This  gallery  passes  entirely 
around  the  structure.  The  remainder  of  the  in- 
terior is  devoted  to  innumerable  markets,  shops, 
audience  chambers,  dining-rooms,  etc.,  lighted 
artificially  and  ventilated  through  many  flues 
opening  out  on  the  terraces  or  through  vertical 
air-shafts.  Ventilation  is  further  effected  by 
draughts  of  cold  or  hot  dry  air,  supplied  by 
elaborate  systems  of  pipes,  which  also  serve  to 
cool  or  heat  the  several  departments.  All  the 
rooms  are  lighted  by  electricity,  so  that  they  can 
be  made  to  glow  with  midday  glory  whenever 
desired.  In  brief,  Mr.  Prognosis,  everything 
that  heart  can  wish  is  obtainable  by  the  dwellers 
of  this  Pyramid  without  ever  visiting  the  outside 
world.  It  is  simply  a  fully  organized  city,  piled 
on  end  instead  of  being  stretched  lengthwise." 

"  But  how  about  fire  ?  A  general  conflagra- 
tion would  be  a  serious  matter  in  such  a  build- 
ing." 

"Accidental  fire  is  something  we  no  longer 
dread.  With  you,  I  am  aware  that  it  was  a  con- 
tinual menace,  and  it  not  only  meant  millions  of 
waste  every  year,  but  also  cost  the  lives  of  many 
persons.  Now  we  use  only  fireproof  materials 
for  building;  and,  if  the  contents  of  any  suite 
of  rooms  become  ignited,  fireproof  doors  are 
barred  upon  them,  and  a  volume  of  steam  intro- 
duced that  quickly  subdues  the  most  threatening 


82  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

blaze.  But  we  depend  less  on  the  fireproof  qual- 
ities of  materials  than  on  preventives  of  fire  and 
constant  care  and  watchfulness.  No  expense 
was  spared  in  the  construction  of  this  building, 
and  the  investment  was  a  profitable  one,  for  it  is 
just  as  serviceable  to-day  as  when  the  masons 
rang  their  trowels  on  its- walls  a  thousand  years 
ago.  In  like  manner,  no  expense  is  now  spared 
in  adopting  every  possible  preventive  of  fire ; 
and  this  has  also  proved  profitable,  for  no  seri- 
ous conflagration  has  ever  occurred,  and  no  life 
has  ever  been  sacrificed.  Immunity  from  acci- 
dent in  the  past  is  not  allowed  to  cause  any  re- 
laxation in  the  present  service  of  the  fire-patrol ; 
but  a  single  alarm  would  immediately  summon 
a  corps  of  trained  men,  furnished  with  every 
modern  means  of  fighting  the  destructive  ele- 
ment. The  records  clearly  show  that  our  largest 
dwelling  houses  are  by  far  the  safest  in  this 
respect." 

"These  exterior  terraces  certainly  afford  a 
convenient  means  of  exit  in  case  of  danger. 
There  is  no  longer  any  possibility  of  people  be- 
ing roasted  alive  while  clinging  to  lofty  window- 
sills  within  sight  of  all  the  world,  but  utterly  be- 
yond the  reach  of  human  aid." 

"  That  is  true,  and  that  is  one  of  the  argu- 
ments used  by  the  architect  who  designed  the 
Pyramids.     As  populations  were  massed  more 


THE  CRYSTAL   BUTTON.  83 

and  more  in  the  great  cities  and  the  vertical 
buildings  rose  loftier  and  loftier,  the  danger 
from  this  source  steadily  increased,  for  smoke 
proved  a  more  deadly  enemy  than  fire.  Both 
smoke  and  fire  can  now  be  speedily  escaped  by 
occupants,  and  help  can  be  promptly  afforded 
from  without.  But  the  record  speaks  for  itself  : 
a  thousand  years  —  and  not  a  dweller  in  the 
Pyramids  has  ever  lost  his  life  from  fire." 

As  they  slowly  descended,  Paul  glanced  into 
numberless  dwellings,  schoolrooms,  stores,  mar- 
kets, and  places  of  amusement ;  and  he  readily 
admitted  that  he  had  never  before  seen  anything 
so  neat,  cheerful,  and  comfortable.  He  espe- 
cially noted  the  peaceful  and  happy  look  of  all 
the  people  whom  he  passed.  They  had  no  re- 
semblance to  the  careworn  and  discourasred  faces 
that  he  had  learned  to  think  inseparable  from 
those  who  worked  with  their  hands  in  the  hum- 
bler callings  of  life,  or  depended  upon  those 
who  so  worked.  Their  cheeks  glowed  with 
health  and  their  eyes  with  happiness. 

Paul  spoke  to  a  little  girl  who  stood  at  one  of 
the  doorways.  She  responded  politely,  but  evi- 
dently did  not  understand  him.  As  he  rejoined 
the  Professor,  the  latter  said  :  "  She  is  telling 
her  mother  that  you  are  a  '  sailor  man.'  " 

A  little  later,  a  young  man  greeted  the  Pro- 
fessor, and   they  gladly  accepted  an  invitation 


84  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

to  enter  his  home.  The  Professor  explained  to 
Paul  that  this  was  an  employee  at  the  observa- 
tory, who  had  a  minimum  income,  so  that  his 
quarters  would  well  represent  what  could  be 
done  with  small  means  in  the  way  of  housekeep- 
ing. 

"  Thomas,  do  you  think  your  wife  would  ob- 
ject to  our  looking  into  all  your  rooms  ?  " 

"  She  shall  speak  for  herself,  sir,  if  you 
please."  And  he  introduced  a  healthy  young 
woman,  neatly  dressed,  of  whom  he  was  evi- 
dently not  a  little  proud,  and  she  seemed  well 
worthy  of  his  regard. 

From  the  combined  sitting-room  and  parlor 
they  passed  to  the  dining-room  opposite,  both 
of  these  rooms  looking  out  upon  the  trellised 
terrace ;  and  then  to  the  bedrooms,  in  one  of 
which  lay  a  sleeping  child,  and  below  to  the 
kitchen,  laundry,  etc.  There  was  not  only  per- 
fect neatness  everywhere,  but  evidences  of  taste 
abounded  in  the  way  of  pictures,  books,  wall 
decorations,  and  musical  instruments,  that  the 
visitor  had  little  expected. 

"Excuse  me,"  said  Paul,  "but  I  do  not  see 
how  you  manage  with  your  washing,  in  the  ab- 
sence of  an  area.  Our  back  yards  were  mainly 
devoted  to  the  duty  of  clothes-drying." 

The  wife  opened  a  large  closet,  and  explained 
that  this  was  her  drying-room,  where  she  had 


THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON.  85 

but  to  hang  the  wet  clothes  and  admit  a  power- 
ful current  of  hot  air.  The  ventilation  of  all  the 
rooms  was  evidently  perfect,  and  they  were  all 
lighted  and  cheerful.  Paul  was  free  to  confess 
that  his  own  house  was  not  one  whit  more  com- 
fortable as  a  home. 

After  leaving  the  apartment,  he  said :  "  Pro- 
fessor, one  of  the  points  I  still  fail  to  understand 
is  this.  You  seem  to  have  developed  a  new  race 
of  dwellers  as  well  as  a  new  species  of  dwellings. 
I  fear,  if  the  tenement  class  of  my  day  were 
given  the  freedom  of  this  place,  they  would  soon 
reduce  it  to  their  own  level  of  disorder,  filth,  and 
degradation.  Of  what  account  would  be  tiled 
floors,  and  porcelain  walls,  and  all  accommoda- 
tions offered  by  running  water,  ventilators,  hot- 
air  currents,  and  electric  lights,  in  the  hands  of 
ignorant  and  shiftless  persons  having  no  appre- 
ciation of  their  value,  and  no  knowledge  how  to 
intelligently  care  for  them  ?  " 

"  Precisely.  But  the  preliminary  work  of  ed- 
ucating the  working  classes  in  the  art  of  home- 
making  had  been  in  process  many  centuries  be- 
fore these  Pyramids  were  raised.  The  women 
are  mainly  responsible  as  the  home-makers.  One 
reason  why  your  mechanics  had  such  poor  homes 
is  perfectly  clear ;  the  women  of  their  class, 
whom  they  naturally  took  as  wives,  received  lit- 
tle home  training  and  no  public  instruction  in 


86  THE  CRYSTAL   BUTT  OX. 

the  serious  duties  of  life  which  they  ignorantly 
undertook.  They  did  not  know  what  housekeep- 
ing meant.  They  did  not  know  what  home  really 
meant.  They  consequently  lacked  a  requisite  to 
home-making  that  even  wealth  and  trained  ser- 
vants could  not  fully  supply.  Ignorance  such 
as  this,  of  the  first  principles  of  life,  is  now  im- 
possible. The  compulsory  education  of  these 
days  means  something,  and  it  means  quite  as 
much  to  women  as  to  men.  It  means  the  eman- 
cipation and  the  happiness  that  go  hand  in  hand 
with  knowledge  and  ability.  You  rightly  sur- 
mise that  the  slatterns  of  your  tenement-houses 
would  soon  make  a  slatternly  tenement-house  of 
this  palace.  But  let  me  tell  you  that  a  corps  of 
women  such  as  Thomas's  young  wafe,  who  tells 
me  that  she  is  a  graduate  of  the  Home-makers' 
Institute,  would  find  or  make  a  way  to  convert 
even  a  tenement  apartment-house  into  an  abode 
of  beauty  and  comfort,  whose  attractions  would 
make  a  home-lover  out  of  any  husband  worthy 
of  the  name." 

"Then  you  are  disposed  to  look  upon  your 
Pyramids  as  a  result  rather  than  a  cause  ?  " 

"  Partly,  but  not  altogether.  Such  things  are 
always  reciprocal  to  a  greater  or  less  extent.  A 
neat  and  well-appointed  house  of  course  helps 
to  arouse  the  pride  and  ambition  of  the  young 
housekeeper ;  but  it  is  a  diamond  in  the  rough, 


THE    CRYSTAL    BUTTON.  87 

and  opaque  until  she  has  polished  it  and  taught 
it  to  catch  the  sunshine.  These  Pyramids  and 
other  great  dwelling-houses  of  similar  design 
simply  represent  one  of  the  many  means  which 
have  been  adopted  to  help  educate  our  work- 
ing people  to  found  —  each  his  own  castle,  each 
his  own  shrine,  each  his  own  something  worthy 
to  work  for !  " 

"  Are  workmen  encouraged  to  marry  and  to 
make  homes  for  themselves  ?  " 

"  Of  course !  in  every  way  that  seems  prac- 
ticable. We  are  now  a  nation  of  homes.  There 
can  be  no  stable  general  government  unless  it 
rests  upon  an  aggregation  of  home  govern- 
ments ;  and  it  is  recognized  that  whatever  makes 
home-life  better  and  happier  contributes  directly 
to  the  stability  of  the  national  life." 

"  The  fact  that  your  population  is  more  homo- 
geneous than  in  my  day  helps  to  make  this 
possible." 

"  Of  course,  time  is  a  physician  that  can  help 
cure  many  evils,  but  every  individual  is  to  some 
extent  responsible  for  the  tendency  of  his  time. 
There  must  be  constant  education  of  mind  and 
manners,  or  time  will  only  make  matters  worse." 

They  Vs^alked  for  some  moments  in  silence. 
"  One  more  glance,"  added  the  Professor,  "  and 
then  we  are  done  for  to-day.  Here  is  the  grand 
central  hall,  which   overtops  the  honeycombed 


88  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

series  of  storehouses  forming  the  nucleus  of  this 
vast  pile.  This  hall,  as  you  see,  divided  by  ave- 
nues and  streets,  is  the  business  centre  of  this 
little  world.  The  numerous  domes  of  glass  that 
light  it  from  above  are  the  lower  extremities  of 
shafts  that  pierce  the  building  vertically  and  act 
like  great  aiteries  through  which  sunshine  and 
air  can  circulate." 

From  a  lofty  gallery  Paul  looked  down  upon 
the  brilliant  scene  of  activity  beneath  him,  and 
then  aloft  to  the  golden  ceiling,  now  sparkling 
with  myriad  suns  of  electricity.  The  sj^ace,  the 
color,  the  glow,  the  warm  pleasant  odor,  the 
throb  of  distant  music,  the  nameless  emotion  of 
a  dream  that  is  not  known  to  be  a  dream, 
dazed  his  senses.  "  Show  me  no  more  won- 
ders !  "  he  plead,  "  for  I  cannot  longer  compass 
them.  Please  lead  the  way,  that  we  may  move 
and  keep  moving  until  heaven  once  more  en- 
circles us  with  its  restful  curve  of  blue !  " 

The  Professor  understood.  They  passed  to 
the  open  air,  saw  the  winter  sun  just  kissing 
its  hand  from  the  western  hills,  took  the  cars 
again,  and  in  another  half  hour  were  seated  once 
more  in  the  subdued  light  of  the  Professor's 
study. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

A  Dinner  at  the  Hestaurant. 

After  bathing,  Paul  seated  himself  on  the 
sofa  in  the  study,  with  his  dog  Smudge  at  his 
side,  and  before  he  knew  it,  fell  sound  asleep. 
When  he  awoke  and  looked  dreamily  about  him, 
he  found  the  Professor  still  busy  at  his  table. 
Smudge  aroused  simultaneously,  and  thrust  a 
paw  into  his  hand. 

"Well,  Mr.  Prognosis,  that  hour's  nap  will 
do  you  a  world  of  good.  That  you  might  not 
be  interrupted,  my  family  are  already  taking 
dinner,  and  it  has  been  arranged  that  you  and 
I  shall  now  go  and  have  ours  at  one  of  the  sum- 
mer-garden restaurants,  conducted  under  mu- 
nicipal supervision,  at  the  Palace  of  the  Sun, 
that  forms  an  interesting  feature  of  winter  life 
in  Tone,  in  which  I  feel  sure  you  will  be  in- 
terested. The  fact  is,  Mr.  Prognosis,  we  give 
a  great  deal  of  attention  nowadays  to  the  ques- 
tion of  health ;  and,  both  as  cause  and  effect, 
we  have  become  a  nation  of  gormands,  —  gor- 
mands  in  a  good  sense,  —  people  who  make  a 


90  THE   CJiYSTAL   BUTT  OX. 

science  of  eating,  who  know  the  best,  and  are 
conseqnently  satisfied  with  no  other.  I  want 
the  pleasure  of  introducing  you  to  one  of  the 
most  famous  of  these  restaurants.  It  is  only  a 
short  walk  from  here." 

The  walk,  which  proved  only  too  short,  was 
soon  taken ;  and  they  then  approached  a  public 
square  which  Paul  had  not  before  seen,  sur- 
rounding what  seemed  an  immense  conservatory 
of  glass,  its  lines  of  light  diminishing  in  dis- 
tances that  clearly  showed  this  to  be  by  far  the 
greatest  building  he  had  ever  gazed  upon. 

"  This,"  said  the  Professor,  "  is  the  Palace 
of  the  Sun ;  but  please  ask  no  questions  about 
it,  for  you  shall  have  an  opportunity  to  inspect 
it  later.  I  have  purposely  approached  the  rear 
entrance  of  the  restaurant,  so  that  the  Palace 
itself  may  retain  its  novel  attractions  until  some 
occasion  when  you  have  ample  time  to  do  it 
justice." 

They  now  passed  through  a  triple  gateway 
into  a  garden,  and  entered  a  handsome  build- 
ing resemblhig  a  club-house,  where  they  left  their 
outer  clothing  in  the  cloak-room,  and  then  as- 
cended the  grand  staircase  to  a  hall  of  great 
dimensions,  and  surpassing  in  beauty  of  detail 
anything  of  the  kind  that  Paul  had  ever  seen 
or  dreamt.  A  suffused  and  mellow  light  from 
some  unseen   source   made   artificial  day ;    and 


THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON.  91 

bowers  of  roses,  and  orange-trees,  and  trellised 
grapes,  and  plashing  fountains,  made  a  tropical 
garden  of  the  room  itself,  which  seemed  re- 
flected in  the  scene  without  the  windows ;  while 
through  the  warm  and  perfumed  atmosphere 
laughed  a  merry  breeze  of  orchestral  music. 
All  the  windows  were  open,  and  birds  fluttered 
in  and  out.  The  new-comers  soon  made  them- 
selves comfortable  in  a  secluded  nook,  where 
a  waiter  immediately  attended,  as  if  flashed 
from  the  rugs  beneath  their  feet. 

"  I  have  to  confess,"  said  the  Professor,  "  that 
I  never  once  thought  of  inviting  you  to  lunch 
to-day,  being  engrossed  by  the  interest  you 
showed  in  all  things.  That  was  unhealthy,  and 
consequently  very  wrong,  and  I  beg  your  par- 
don." 

But  Paul  made  confession  to  the  fact  that  he 
had  been  so  tired  before  the  nap  that  he  was 
then  in  no  condition  to  eat. 

"  I  hope  that  you  are  quite  rested  now." 

*'  Perfectly,  and  ready  to  see  anything  and 
everything  in  the  way  of  new  wonders  that  you 
may  be  pleased  to  summon  with  your  witch's 
wand." 

"  I  am  glad  of  that,  for,  after  dinner,  I  have 
a  literary  or  scientific  treat  in  store  for  you. 
Well,  now,  what  would  you  particularly  like  to 
have?  Whatsoever  the  world  produces  is  now 
to  be  had  for  the  asking." 


92  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

"  Anything  you  will  kindly  set  before  me 
will  be  acceptable  —  always  excepting  cabbage 
and  cauliflower." 

The  Professor  laughed,  and  remarked  that  he 
w^as  rather  fond  of  cauliflower,  and  had  seriously 
contemplated  ordering  some ;  but,  out  of  con- 
sideration for  his  guest,  he  would  of  course  omit 
it. 

"  On  no  account !  Please  yourself,  and  I 
promise  to  be  pleased.  Some  of  your  dishes 
will  no  doubt  be  strange  to  me,  but  I  am  sure 
they  will  be  good  ;  and,  with  the  exception  of 
the  two  vegetables  named,  I  can  eat  anything  I 
ever  saw  served." 

The  Professor  readily  assumed  the  command 
thus  conferred  upon  him,  and  soon  had  the 
opening  course  of  a  savory  repast  upon  the  ta- 
ble. Just  where  it  came  from  was  not  appar- 
ent to  Paul,  but  there  it  stood  smoking  before 
him  :  first,  a  golden-colored  soup,  with  an  odd 
name  but  a  delicate  flavor  ;  then,  some  wonder 
of  a  fish,  quite  free  from  bones,  and  with  a 
highly  appetizing  sauce  ;  and  next,  a  small  roast 
fowl,  with  numerous  side  dishes  of  vegetable 
preparations,  most  of  which  were  new  to  him. 
After  the  dessert  followed  a  variety  of  fruits, 
wholly  unfamiliar  but  peculiarly  delicious  ;  and 
finally,  a  welcome  old  friend  in  the  form  of  a 
cup  of  fragrant  coffee. 


THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON.  93 

As  they  sipped  this,  the  Professor  asked: 
"Tell  me,  Mr.  Prognosis,  now  that  you  have 
had  an  opportunity  to  recover  from  your  first 
feeling  of  wonder,  how  did  our  Pyramids  strike 
you  ?  " 

"Well,  sir,  I  can  only  repeat  that  they  are 

certainly  abodes  of  the  blest  as  compared  with 

the  city  tenements  of  my  time,  which  I  suppose 

were  their  prototypes.     You  could  not  imagine, 

sir,  if  you  were  to  try,  what   those    tenements 

really  were  —  shadowed  in    narrow  courts  and 

alleyways,  dark,  mildewed,  squalid,  filthy  !    And, 

without  seeing  them,  you  could  not  imagine  the 

wretched  condition  of  the  creatures  who  lived, 

or  rather  who  drooped  and   died,  in  them.    You 

could  not  imagine  the  horror  of  the  rumshops 

and    other   dens  of  vice  that  always  encircled 

them,  —  vile  haunts  of  crime  which,  like  fungous 

growths,  fattened  on  what  they  destro3^ed,  and 

exhaled  their  miasma  to  increase  if  possible  the 

loathsome  odors  of  the  street.     You  could  not 

imagine  the  degradation   of   the  children   born 

and  bred  amid  such  surroundings,  —  unhealthy, 

ignorant,  void  of  all  good  or  desire  for  good  ; 

spawned  like  reptiles,  and  then  thrust  forth  to 

beg,  starve,  pilfer,  murder,  and  further  spread 

the  contagion  of  disease  and  sin..     Oh !  sir,  it  is 

too  pitiful  to  even  think  of.    Let  us  not  speak  of 

it  further." 


94  THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON. 

"  But  were  there  no  true  men,  no  strong  men, 
no  willinc:  men  and  women  to  undertake  the 
task  of  reform,  however  hard  it  might  be?  Was 
nothing  done  to  rouse  public  sentiment  to  an  ap- 
preciation of  the  wretched  condition  of  fellow 
human  beings  ?  I  should  think  that  the  pleas- 
ure of  life,  even  for  the  fortunate,  would  have 
been  destroyed  by  the  contemplation  of  such 
misery,  or  by  the  mere  knowledge  of  it  even  if 
they  turned  their  eyes  away." 

"  Oh  !  we  had  prophets  among  us,  and  reform- 
ers, and  noble  men  and  women  who  were  will- 
ing to  lay  down  martj^r  lives  to  better  the  con- 
dition of  their  degraded  brothers  and  sisters. 
But  it  was  a  well-nigh  hopeless  task.  Many  of 
their  most  heroic  efforts  seemed  only  to  result 
in  intensifying  the  evils  they  sought  to  remedy. 
They  seemed  perfectly  powerless,  and  the  candle 
of  Christianity  that  had  kept  the  world  in  hope 
for  many  centuries  seemed  about  to  die  out. 
You  see,  the  evils  of  the  day  had  their  roots  too 
deep  down  in  the  customs  of  the  past ;  they  were 
the  outsfrowths  of  numberless  jjenerations  of 
moral  and  social  servitude,  unwholesome  tradi- 
tions, evil  thoughts  and  habits,  and  gross  in- 
stincts, that  allied  their  victims  to  a  condition 
worse  than  that  of  brute  beasts.  They  had  no 
hopes,  no  good  ambitions  that  could  be  aroused, 
no  consciences  that  could  be  appealed  to." 


THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON:  95 

"  Excuse  me,  but  do  not  be  too  sure  of  that. 
They  were  certainly  sunken  in  the  lowest  depths 
of  misery,  but  consciences,  —  most  of  them  still 
had  consciences,  and  they  still  had  possibilities 
of  ambitions  mightier  than  the  mightiest  of 
temptations.  Vice  no  doubt  was  bred  in  their 
very  blood ;  but  so  also,  I  must  think,  was  a  lin- 
gering love  of  virtue ;  and,  with  God's  help,  it 
has  come  to  pass  that  strong  men  and  women, 
working  in  his  name  through  generation  after 
generation  and  century  after  century,  and  grad- 
ually reinforced  by  stalwart  recruits  from  the 
ranks  they  sought  to  help,  have  finally  raised  the 
standard  of  morals,  both  private  and  public,  to  a 
height  you  dared  not  hope.  What  you  have 
seen  to-day  is  not  the  result  of  any  one  act  of 
any  one  person  or  of  any  million  of  persons,  — 
though  Costor  gave  direction  to  concerted  ac- 
tion, —  but  of  the  combined  efforts  of  all  indi- 
viduals who  have  thus  far  lent  their  influence, 
by  even  the  simplest  word  or  act,  to  the  cause  of 
truth  and  justice.  That 's  the  only  way  public 
sentiment  is  created,  and  Public  Sentiment  rules 
this  world  as  God  rules  heaven  !  To-day,  Pub- 
lic Sentiment  says  all  men  have  equal  rights, 
if  not  equal  capacities,  —  and  it  means  and  en- 
forces what  it  says.  To-day,  Public  Sentiment 
pronounces  vice  degrading,  and  ignorance  the 
mother  of  vice,  and  says  that  neither  shall  be 


96  THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON. 

tolerated.  To-day,  Public  Sentiment  pronounces 
labor  ennobling,  and  it  ennobles  the  laborer. 
That  's  all  there  is  about  it." 

The  Professor  was  evidently  getting  excited, 
and  Paul  was  not  unwilling  to  follow  him  into 
the  brisk  outdoor  air.  He  was  also  glad  to  know 
that  they  had  in  prospect  a  walk  of  a  mile  before 
reaching  the  next  scene  of  surprise. 

For  a  time  neither  spoke  ;  and  Paul  had  a 
full  opportunity  to  examine  the  faces  that  passed 
him.  He  looked  in  vain  for  any  that  suggested 
vice,  hunger,  poverty,  or  even  care.  The  streets 
were  crowded,  but  no  one  was  in  a  hurry,  though 
all  seemed  bound  on  some  pleasurable  quest. 

After  a  time,  he  ventured  to  inquire  whether 
it  was  not  found  difficult  to  supply  the  various 
needs  of  the  present  increased  population  of  the 
world. 

The  Professor  at  first  answered  a  little 
sharply :  "  No,  sir !  We  save  what  you  wasted  ! 
We  work,  while  3^ou  played  at  work !  We  give 
Nature  and  her  vast  forces  an  opportunity  to 
work  for  us !  Arid  we  know  how  to  wisely  use 
what  we  have !  " 

Later  on,  he  explained  that  the  art  of  preserv- 
ing all  kinds  of  perishable  food  had  been  brought 
to  great  perfection,  and  that  vast  reserves  of 
food  were  continually  stored  in  all  corners  of  the 
world,  as  well  as  in  such  reservoirs  as  the  Pyra- 


THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON.  97 

mids  in  Tone  and  other  chief  centres,  in  order 
to  guard  against  short  croj^s  resulting  from 
drouth  or  other  unavoidable  cause.  "  With  the 
poixilation  the  world  now  has,  this  is  a  prime 
necessity.  We  waste  nothing,  but  preserve  and 
store  all  that  we  have  no  present  need  for ;  and 
the  oceans  and  continents  are  fairly  alive  with 
fleet  messengers  that  herald  the  first  sign  of 
lack,  and  haste  to  distribute  wholesome "^ food 
wherever  it  is  most  needed." 

The  coffee  was  evidently  beginning  to  exert 
its  benignant  influence  on  the  Professor's  nerves, 
by  allaying  his  irritation  at  the  inexcusable  ig- 
norance of  the  nineteenth  century  people.  "  I 
will  say  this,"  he  remarked  confidingly:  "the 
progress  you  scored  during  the  latter  half  of 
your  century  of  strife,  in  mechanical  science  and 
also  in  the  enfranchisement  of  your  working 
classes,  was  never  equaled  in  any  like  period  of 
the  world's  history." 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

The  Meeting  of  the  School  of  Sciences. 

By  tlie  time  they  arrived  at  the  lecture  hall, 
both  men  were  quite  refreshed.  It  was  located 
in  a  stately  granite  building  whose  dome  glittered 
far  above  them,  which  the  Professor  explained 
was  exclusively  devoted  to  the  uses  of  the 
Learned  Fellows  of  the  High  School  of  Sciences. 
During  the  few  minutes  that  preceded  the  open- 
ing of  the  meeting,  Professor  Prosper  passed 
around  the  hall,  greeting  his  friends  and  greeted 
by  them  on  all  sides.  He  was  evidently  as  pop- 
ular as  he  was  well  known.  He  kept  Paul  close 
at  his  side,  and  presented  him  to  many  of  his 
friends  with  the  words :  "  This  is  a  valued 
acquaintance  of  mine,  Mr.  Paul  Prognosis,  who 
has  a  remarkable  history,  and  whose  knowledge 
of  Old  English  so  far  exceeds  my  own  that  I 
feel  highly  honored  in  being  allowed  to  name 
myself  as  his  pupil." 

"  Is  it  possible  ?  "  —  "  Most  remarkable  !  "  — 
"  We  shall  certainly  hope  to  welcome  him  as 
a   fellow    member  !  "  —  remarked    the    several 


TBE    CRYSTAL    BUTTON.  99 

friends.  "I  trust  that  I  may  soon  be  able  to 
announce  a  paper  by  you,  Mr.  Prognosis,"  said 
the  president.  He  then  mounted  the  rostrum 
brought  Ins  gavel  down  with  a  bang,  called  the 
meetnig  to  order,  and  read  a  few  letters  and  for- 
mal notices; 

As  he  did  so,  Paul  had  an  opportunity  to  ex- 
amme  h,m.     He  was  certainly  a  noble  specimen 
of  .ntellectual  man.     The  great  electric  sun  that 
illummated  the  auditorium  seemed  to  invest  his 
shining  bald  head  with  distinguishing  radiance. 
Strange !      said  Paul  to  himself  as  he  gave  a 
stealthy  glance  about  the  room,  "  I  believe  every 
man  present  excepting  myself  is  b.ald  —  hope- f' 
lessly  bald ! " 

After  the  preliminary  business  usual  in  such 
assemblies,  the  president  stated  that  those  pres- 
ent would  have  the  pleasure  of  listening  to  one 
whoni  ,t  was  unnecessary  to  introduce,  as  he 
was  known  to  all -their  honored  fellow  mem- 
ber,Mr._,  Mr. -alas!  he  had  forgotten  the 
name.     He  searched  among  the  papers  on  his 
desk,   readjusted    his  glasses,   and   very  calmly 
continued,   "our  honored   fellow  member,  Mr 
Wmestine  — Mr.  Mark  Winestine." 

During  this  episode,  the  venerable  president 
continued  making  a  series  of  little  bows  in  the 
direction  of  the  speaker  prospective,  while  the 
reflected  light  from  his  shining  scalp  continued 


100  THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON. 

to  describe  a  variety  of  curves  which  reminded 
Paul  of  the  light-ribbons  he  used  to  make  when 
a  boy,  by  twirling  a  flaming  brand.  He  fell  to 
speculating  on  the  nature  of  these  curves  of 
light,  whether  they  were  concentric,  parabolic, 
or  cycloidal.  While  thus  absurdly  employed, 
Mr.  Winestine  began  speaking,  as  follows :  — 

"  It  is  a  remarkable  fact  that,  since  natural 
history  became  a  science,  more  than  fifty  well- 
known  species  of  mammalia,  and  more  than 
double  that  number  of  oviparous  a^nimals,  have 
become  extinct ;  while  many  others,  not  yet 
wholly  extinct,  are  practically  so,  inasmuch  as 
they  are  no  longer  found  in  a  natural  state. 
Such  extinction  of  great  classes  of  animal  life 
has  been  mainly  accomplished  by  direct  and 
systematic  warfare  in  the  interests  of  humanity. 

"  One  cannot  but  rejoice  that  the  great  car- 
nivorous beasts  of  the  feline,  canine,  and  ursine 
families  no  longer  exist.  We  must,  however, 
except  the  great  white  bear  and  the  foxes  of 
the  frozen  North,  wdiich  still  hold  undisputed 
possession  of  their  strongholds. 

"  Of  the  giants  of  the  Asian  and  African  for- 
ests, the  elephant  alone  remains,  and  he  only  as 
a  domestic  animal.  The  hipjDopotamus,  rhinoc- 
eros, and  that  terrible  reptile,  the  crocodile,  and 
his  kindred,  are  all  swept  forever  from  the  face 
of  the   earth ;    while  the   fierce   lion   and   tiger 


THE    CRYSTAL   BUTTON.  IQl 

have  long  ceased  to  devastate  and  make  afraid. 
The  world  is  also  well  rid  of  the  entire  serpent 
family,  a  long  wished-for  riddance  that  has  but 
recently  been  effected.  But  it  is  now  accom- 
plished ;  and  as  in  the  case  of  certain  diseases 
once  common,  there  is  no  danger  of  a  repeti- 
tion of  the  pest  that  for  so  many  centuries  rav- 
aged all  the  edens  of  this  world. 

"  Besides  the  above-named  classes  of  animals, 
whose  forced  retirement  from  the  living  fauna 
causes  no  sentiments  of  regret,  there  are  some 
others,  including  the  fur-bearers  and  those  whose 
flesh  has  been  prized  for  food,  which  have  been 
hunted  to  extinction,  including  that  wonderfully 
intelligent  rodent,  the  beaver,  and  also  the  otter, 
the  fur  seal,  the  noble  bison,  the  great  elk  of  the 
North,  and  the  guanaco  of  the  South.     These, 
unfortunately,  are    now    only  known    by    their 
fossil  remains   and  by  the   excellent  works  of 
ancient  naturalists  dating  up  to  the  twenty-fifth 
century. 

"  At  the  same  time  there  are  many  other  classes 
of  animals  whose  food  qualities  have  particularly 
recommended  them  to  our  care,  which  have  not 
only  been  preserved,  but,  owing  to  the  destruc- 
tion of  their  natural  enemies,  have  rapidly  in- 
creased,—  in  some  cases  so  rapidly  as  to  become 
seriously  troublesome  to  our  farmers  by  reason 
of  their  numbers.     Of  the  birds  described  by 


102  THE   CRYSTAL    BUTTON. 

the  ancients,  very  few  have  succumbed  to  the 
changing  influences  of  time.  Some  few  species 
have  ceased  to  exist,  while  many  others  have 
become  vastly  more  numerous,  and  particularly 
the  insectivorous  varieties,  which  have  been  so 
protected  by  man,  by  reason  of  their  usefulness, 
that  swarming  hordes  of  insect  life  which  used 
to  destroy  the  vegetation  of  entire  countries  are 
now  reduced  to  insisfuificant  numbers. 

"  I  deeply  regret  that  time  allows  me  to  but 
barely  mention  the  subject  that  most  interests 
nie  in  this  connection  —  the  one  to  which  I  have 
devoted  my  energies  for  many  years  past.  You 
all  know  to  what  I  refer.  My  forthcoming  trea- 
tise will  afford  an  opportunity  to  fully  canvass 
the  topic.  You  will  therein  see  that  I  have  at- 
tempted—  with  what  success,  it  is  for  you  to 
determine  —  to  rid  the  world  of  one  of  the  last 
vestioes  of  animal  life  that  all  concede  to  be  not 
only  useless  but  highly  prejudicial  to  human 
interests  —  I  refer  to  domestic  rats  and  mice. 
A  combined  and  continued  effort  is  needed  to 
destroy  forever  these  active  and  prolific  little 
rodents.  Local  efforts  have  been  temporarily 
successful,  but  fresh  incursions  from  neighbor- 
ing localities  have  soon  filled  their  enemies  with 
confusion.  It  is  only  through  the  combined  ef- 
forts now  about  to  be  instituted  throughout  the 
world   that  we    may  hope  to  soon  class  these 


THE    CRYSTAL   BUTT  OX.  103 

troublesome  vermin  with  the  already  long  list 
of  extinct  sjDecies." 

Mr.  Winestine  here  bowed  to  the  president, 
who,  being  engaged  in  taking  a  sip  of  water, 
neglected  to  respond  to  the  salutation. 

Mr.  Johnsraith  next  read  a  paper  on  "  Arti- 
ficial Modification  of  Climate,"  in  the  course  of 
which  he  remarked  :  — 

"  Fifty  years  ago  to-day  I  enjoyed  the  proud  ^ 
distinction  of  having  my  scheme  for  changing!  '  ^  ^ 
the  ocean  currents  approved  by  the  Grand  Coun- ' 
cil.  I  had  thought  out  the  plan  while  still  a 
boy,  had  often  written  on  the  subject,  and  often 
urged  it  upon  the  attention  of  this  very  body  of 
scientific  men  —  or,  more  correctly,  upon  those 
who  then  composed  its  membership.  But  all 
was  of  no  avail,  until  I  conceived  the  idea  of 
practically  demonstrating  to  the  world  the  cor- 
rectness of  my  views  by  constructing  an  accu- 
rate model  of  the  Atlantic  Ocean,  with  its  coast- 
lines and  its  varying  depths  accurately  repro- 
duced in  correct  scale.  The  currents  were  set 
m  motion  by  meclianical  means,  and  the  ])roper 
degree  of  heat  was  imparted  to  the  tropical  re- 
gions by  submerged  warm-water  pipes,  while  the 
polar  regions  were  subjected  to  a  refrigerating 
process.  This  apparatus  was  so  adjusted  that 
the  actual  temperature  of  all  parts  of  the  ocean, 
and  also  of  its  many  currents,  was  correctly  re- 
produced. 


104  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

"  I  must  confess  that  it  looked  somewhat 
like  the  scheme  of  a  madman  to  thus  presume 
to  control  the  mighty  currents  of  the  ocean ;  but 
the  topography  of  the  ocean  bed  and  its  influ- 
ence on  currents  was  already  so  well  understood 
that  I  was  able  to  draw  conclusions  much  less 
wild  than  they  w^ere  at  first  regarded. 

"  The  idea  had  taken  strong  hold  of  me  that 
artificial  barriers  might  be  so  j^laced  as  to  direct 
the  arctic  current  into  mid-ocean,  and,  at  the 
same  time,  to  divide  the  Gulf  stream  into  two 
currents  that  might  bathe  and  materially  raise 
the  temperature  of  the  northern  coasts  of  Amer- 
ica and  Europe. 

"  You  know  the  result.  What  was  theory  is 
now  reality.  By  placing  comparatively  small 
artificial  reefs  at  certain  points  that  I  indicated, 
the  habitable  portions  of  two  continents  have 
been  very  considerably  increased,  and  now  afford 
room  ^,or  the  spread  of  our  rapidly  increasing 
population.  The  success  of  the  undertaking 
teaches  anew  the  power  of  cooperation,  —  shows 
anew  that  whatever  work  is  undertaken  by  tlie 
Grand  Council  of  Nations,  whatever  its  propor- 
tions, must  and  ever  will  succeed." 

Professor  Speculo  was  next  introduced,  and 
opened  his  remarks  in  a  manner  that  showed 
him  to.be  quite  familiar  with  the  platform. 

"You  have   often  listened  to   me   while   re- 


THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON.  105 

counting  the  dry  details  of  astronomical  discov- 
ery, and  I  trust  that  I  have  already  prepared 
your  minds  for  an  adequate  understanding  of 
the  stupendous  spectacle  that  is  to  be  presented 
to  our  eyes  in  a  few  short  hours  from  now.  In 
my  address  this  evening,  I  propose  to  hold  up 
to  your  mental  vision  a  picture,  as  seen  in  the 
focus  of  the  great  reflector,  of  the  grandeur  of 
the  Sirian  system. 

"  The  magnificence  of  that  far-off  luminary, 
which  is  the  centre  of  a  vast  system  of  luminous 
and  non-luminous  bodies,  is  so  great  that  the 
human  mind  fails  to  grasp  the  idea  that  a  state- 
ment of  its  known  volume  would  convey.  Im- 
agine, if  you  can,  a  sphere  glowing  with  light 
and  heat  so  intense  that  our  sun,  bright  as  it 
seems,  is  pale  and  ineffectual  in  comparison. 
Imagine,  if  you  can,  that  this  fiercely  glowing 
body  has  a  diameter  of  upwards  of  twenty-five 
millions  of  miles.  Then  picture  to  yourself  a 
score  of  planetary  suns  revolving  about  it, 
which,  in  stellar  phrase,  are  in  its  immediate 
vicinity,  but,  in  fact,  some  of  them  are  about 
two  hundred  solimeters  from  the  main  body." 

"  Professor,  please,"  whispered  Paul,  "  what 
is  a  solimeter  ?  " 

*'  The  earth's  mean  distance  from  the  sun." 

*'  So  I  supposed.  A  famous  measuring-rod, 
truly !  " 


106  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

Mr.  Speculo  continued  :  — 

"  Some  of  these  luminous  planets  are  of  half 
the  diameter  of  the  sun,  and  give  a  brilliant 
light,  while  others  show  only  a  faint  red  light. 
Others  still,  though  they  must  be  of  enormous 
magnitude,  are  seen  only  by  reflected  light. 
When  you  know  that  we  have  been  able  to  de- 
tect the  non-luminous  bodies  of  the  Sirian  sys- 
tem, you  will  appreciate  to  some  extent  the  won- 
derful achievements  of  modern  optical  science, 
which  have  enabled  us  to  extend  our  vision  across 
the  incalculable  gulf  that  separates  us.  If  you 
can  grasp  the  meaning  of  three  hundred  thou- 
sand solimeters,  you  will  know  what  that  gulf 
is ;  and  then,  returning  to  Mars,  we  cannot  but 
feel  that  it  is  a  near  neighbor." 

Paul  succeeded  in  keeping  his  attention  fixed 
for  a  few  moments  longer,  with  the  hope  that 
some  further  reference  to  neighbor  Mars  might 
occur  ;  but  finding  that  the  speaker  was  spread- 
ing his  wings  among  systems  more  and  more  re- 
mote, —  so  remote,  indeed,  that  even  Sirius  be- 
gan also  to  seem  a  neighbor  by  contrast,  —  he 
leaned  his  head  on  his  hand  as  comfortably  as  cir- 
cumstances would  i)ermit,  and  prepared  —  what! 
what  was  the  meaning  of  this  ?  —  he  hardly  rec- 
ognized it  as  belonging  to  him  —  his  head  was 
completely  bald  like  the  rest  of  those  present ! 
He  had  become  a  Learned  Fellow  indeed  !     But 


THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON.  107 

how  had  this  happened,  and  when  had  it  hap- 
pened ?  "  Smudge  will  scarcely  recognize  me," 
he  murmured,  as  drowsiness  again  overpowered 
him,  and  he  again  supported  that  now  unfamil- 
iar smooth  poll  on  his  hand  and  dropped  oif  into 
a  quiet  little  cat-nap. 

From  this  refreshing  sleep  he  was  aroused  by 
a  lively,  red-faced  speaker,  who,  much  to  his  as- 
tonishment, announced  as  his  subject :  "  The  An- 
alysis of  Odors,  and  Analysis  by  Odors."  What 
the  speaker's  name  was  he  did  not  hear,  and 
he  never  afterward  learned,  but  his  remarks  in- 
cluded the  following  surprising  statements  :  — 

"  Yes,  gentlemen,  it  is  very  fortunate  that  a 
subject  so  fascinating  as  that  of  odors  should 
have  been  left  by  the  ancients  wholly  untouched, 
and  therefore  fresh  for  us  to  investigate  with  an 
interest  quite  unique.  The  questioning  minds 
of  the  past  that  ransacked  the  universe  for  new 
subjects  for  study  were  apparently  baffled  by 
the  subtle  character  of  odors.  Those  prying  an- 
cients in  a  manner  defrauded  scientists  of  thisi 
age  of  much  glory  and  self-satisfaction,  by  fore-  \ 
stalling  us  in  nearly  all  directions  in  our  search 
after  original  truth.  This  subject,  however,  was 
a  sealed  book  to  them ;  and,  for  that  matter,  it 
might  have  remained  so  to  us  and  to  all  time, 
had  it  not  been  ordained  that  the  Tu  Ling 
family  were  to  live  and  afford  us  the  means  of 


108  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

studying  this  obscure  but  highly  interesting 
subject. 

"  This  remarkable  case  of  abnormal  develop- 
ment in  the  human  species  has  no  parallel  in 
any  record  of  the  past  that  has  come  down  to  us. 
The  extraordinary  sense  of  smell  possessed  by 
the  members  of  this  singular  Tu  Ling  family  so 
far  surpassed  its  ordinary  development  in  man 
that  it  may  almost  be  regarded  as  a  sixth  sense. 
The  scenting  power  of  the  hound,  which  unerr- 
ingly tracks  his  master's  horse  over  snow  and 
ice,  even  though  many  other  persons  have  subse- 
quently followed  the  same  path,  has  ever  excited 
wonder  and  admiration.  Yet  these  Tu  Lings 
were  in  no  degree  inferior  to  their  canine  rivals 
in  the  power  to  discriminate  all  scents.  They 
could  do  all  that  the  best  scenting  dogs  can  do, 
and  they  could  do  much  more,  for,  being  intelli- 
gent human  beings,  they  were  able  to  describe, 
name,  and  classify  all  possible  odors. 

"  Under  the  direction  of  Dr.  Probe  and  my- 
self, a  systematic  analysis  of  these  ethereal  ema- 
nations was  begun  some  ten  years  ago,  and  con- 
tinued, with  occasional  periods  of  rest,  for  about 
four  years. 

"  The  members  of  this  Tu  Ling  family  were 
two  brothers  and  a  sister.  All  were  in  delicate 
health,  and  not  strong  enough  for  continuous 
effort,  so  that  our  work  was  necessarily  inter- 


THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON.  109 

mittent ;  but  the  true  character  of  odors  was 
soon  foreshadowed,  and  the  great  practical  value 
of  the  inquiry  realized.  During  the  frequent 
pauses  in  the  work  of  examination,  many  delicate 
instruments  were  perfected,  mainly  the  result  of 
the  patient  labors  of  my  learned  friend.  Dr. 
Probe ;  and  toward  the  last  the  progress  of  our 
work  was  more  rapid.  The  Tu  Ling  family  are 
now  all  dead,  but  a  complete  account  of  their 
contributions  to  science  is  now  on  record.  They 
lived  long  enough  to  fully  verify  the  results  of 
our  experiments,  and  to  rejoice  with  us  when 
Dr.  Probe  finally  succeeded  in  making  odors  vis- 
ible." 

The  speaker  then  described  in  detail  some  of 
the  instruments  referred  to,  though  the  vocabu- 
lary employed  was  such  as  to  make  these  quite 
unintelligible  to  the  astonished  visitor ;  and  he 
further  stated  that  these  instruments  now  offered 
an  all-valuable  means  of  detecting  the  most  ethe- 
real, but  none  the  less  potent,  emanations  consti- 
tuting the  medium  in  which  mankind  lives  and 
breathes  and  has  its  being. 

Enthusiastic  applause  greeted  the  close  of  this 
learned  paper. 

The  chairman  announced  that  the  following 
papers  might  be  expected  at  the  next  session  : 
"  Rate  of  Absorption  of  the  World's  Waters  by 
Crystallization,"  by  Professor  Ring  ;  "  Retarda- 


110  THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON. 

tion,  as  shown  by  Observations  on  the  Standard 
Pendulum,"  by  Professor  Calculus ;  "  Prime 
Importance  of  a  Correct  Understanding  of  Old 
English  of  the  Nineteenth  Century  Period,"  by 
Professor  Prosper  ;  and  "  Observations  in  the 
Coal  Mines  at  the  North  Pole  and  along  the 
Lines  of  Covered  Railways  approaching  thereto," 
by  Dr.  Peter  O'Dactyl.  He  also  remarked  that 
Dr.  O'Dactyl  would  present  specimens  from 
those  celebrated  mines,  including  some  remarka- 
ble fossils  that  were  quite  new  to  science,  one  of 
these  being  especially  interesting,  namely :  a 
[  /~)minordy?iodig  iteriumrodentinn. 

The  meeting  was  then  dismissed,  and  Paul  and 
his  companion  returned  home  through  the  now 
quiet  streets,  though  still  lighted  as  at  midday. 

"  AVell,  Mr.  Prognosis,  I  hope  you  enjo3^ed 
many  of  the  statements  you  have  heard,  which 
afford  hints  as  to  some  of  the  subjects  that  are 
now  attracting  public  attention." 

"  I  did,  and  I  shall  exhaust  your  good  nature 
at  a  later  time  by  making  inquiries  about  them. 
One  thing  I  am  particularly  curious  to  know. 
What  is  the  standard  ]3endulum  that  was  alluded 
to?" 

"  Oh,  that  is  an  instrument  located  in  the 
basement  of  the  building  we  have  just  left,  which 
beats  thirty  strokes  per  minute,  and  enables  us 
to  accurately  compare  the  second  of  to-day  with 


THE    CRYSTAL   BUTTON.  Ill 

that  of  any  past  period  of  which  we  have  records 
—  and  such  records  are  numerous  and  exceed- 
ingly valuable." 

"  I  do  not  think  that  I  understand  its  impor- 
tance." 

"  Do  not  try  to,  to-night,"  said  the  Professor 
kindly.  "  I  will  arrange  that  you  shall  examine 
for  yourself  the  mysteries  of  the  great  pendu- 
lum." 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

A  Glimpse  of  Country  Life, 

"  And  now,  Mr.  Prognosis,  whenever  you  feel 
drowsy  from  your  unusual  day's  work  of  sight- 
seeing, you  will  find  your  chamber  in  readiness  for 
you.  Remember  that  you  require  a  good  night's 
rest  to  strengthen  you  for  another  and  even 
harder  day's  travel  to-morrow  under  the  guidance 
of  Marco,  who  is  nearly  as  untiring  a  traveler 
as  your  dog  Smudge.  By  the  way,  where  is 
Smudge  ?  He  must  be  lonel}^,  and  I  don't  see 
why  he  shouldn't  be  allowed  to  enjoy  our  so- 
ciety at  least  till  bedtime.  Perhaps,  too,  it  will 
help  to  make  you  feel  at  home  in  our  house  if 
he  takes  kindly  to  a  bearskin  shake-down  which 
shall  be  placed  in  your  chamber." 

The  Professor  passed  into  an  adjoining  room, 
and,  a  moment  later,  the  noble  animal  came 
bounding  into  the  library,  where,  after  mani- 
festing his  affection  for  his  master  in  canine 
fashion,  he  spread  himself  comfortably  at  Paul's 
feet,  and  appeared  an  interested  listener  to  the 
conversation  that  followed. 


THE  CRYSTAL    BUTTON.  113 

"I  feel  quite  refreshed,  Professor,  and  not 
inclined  to  sleep  at  present.  If  you  are  not 
tired,  I  should  be  best  pleased  to  hear  you  talk." 

"  On  what  subject,  for  instance  ?  " 

"  On  any  subject  pertaining  to  improvements 
in  man's  position  in  the  world,  that  have  re- 
sulted from  your  later  and  more  highly  de- 
veloped forms  of  civilization." 

*'  I  shall  be  delighted  to  thus  oblige  you,  for, 
in  fact,  I  am  always  fond  of  lecturing,  so  long 
as  I  can  be  sure  of  an  interested  audience. 
But  please  suggest  some  special  topic  to  begin 
with,  as  the  field  is  large." 

"  Several  subjects  immediately  occur  to  me," 
said  Paul  reflectively,  "as  leading  ones  in  my 
day,  such  as  ownership  of  property,  real  and 
personal,  which  of  course  includes  farm-lands  as 
well  as  city  buildings.  I  should  be  extremely 
interested  to  know  something  of  the  methods 
of  modern  agriculture,  for,  without  some  radi- 
cal changes  in  this  department  of  human  in- 
dustry, resources  must  be  severely  taxed  to  meet 
the  wants  of  the  population  that  now,  as  I  un-l 
derstand,  covers  nearly  the  entire  continent."      < 

"  Very  well ;  let  us  then  begin  with  the  last 
of  3^our  inquiries  —  that  about  agriculture,  which 
also  involves  the  question  of  land  ownership. 
In  the  first  place,  you  must  keep  clearly  in  mind 
the  fact  you  have  already  stated,  that  a  popu- 


114  THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON. 

lation,  vast  beyond  the  imagination  of  the  nine- 
teenth century,  now  occupies  not  only  the  Amer- 
ican continent,  but  nearly  every  other  habitable 
portion  of  the  globe ;  and  also  that  such  habit- 
able portion  has  been  greatly  increased  during 
the  later  centuries,  as  was  suggested  in  the  re- 
marks of  one  of  the  speakers  to-night.  River- 
banks  that  the  beaver  once  overflowed  by  his 
engineering  feats  are  now  populous  with  towns ; 
2"C-y  town  o±  oiu  hci'=5  become  a  city  ;  every  city 
a  metropolis  ;  every  metropolis  a  cosmopolis,  — 
of  which  Tone  is  a  fair  example,  —  with  its 
every  human  dwelling  and  workshop  a  little  city 
in  itself,  towering  to  the  sky." 

"And  the  fields,  the  pastures,  the  grain  prai- 
ries, the  woodlands  —  are  they  still  here  ?  " 

"  Yes  ;  though  they  would  probably  be  scarcely 
recognizable  to  you  at  first  glance.  To  support 
/a  population,  whereof  every  thousand  of  old  rep- 
resents a  present  million,  and  where  every  unit  of 
this  million  now  lives  in  comparative  comfort  and 
plenty  —  this  means  myriad  changes  in  methods 
of  production  and  distribution.  There  are  now 
few  if  any  waste  places ;  Nature  never  wastes, 
and  man  has  learned  to  take  Nature  at  her  best 
and  conform  his  ways  to  hers.  Horticulture 
has  supplanted  agriculture,  and  every  acre  is 
studied  and  stimulated  to  do  what  it  can  best  do, 
just  as  every  man  is  expected  to  exert  his  best 
faculties  in  his  most  suitable  field  of  action." 


THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON.  115 

"  And  how  do  you  prevent  waste  ?  " 
"  In  many  ways.  Whatever  is  produced  is 
preserved,  for  waste  is  recognized  as  a  form  of 
wickedness  that  must  mean  want  to  some  one, 
even  if  the  waster  himself  is  exempted  from 
suffering  the  inevitable  penalty.  For  instance, 
every  berry,  every  fruit,  however  perishable,  is 
promptly  submitted  to  the  improved  processes 
that  chemistry  has  tvUght,  and  so  prepared  that 
It  shall  be  rearly  f  :  future  need.  To  a  con- 
siderable extent,  the  waste  of  past  ages  consti- 
tutes the  riches  of  the  present  era,  and  helps  to 
fill  to  overflowing  the  vast  storehouses  of  food 
products  that  now  gird  the  globe  and  prevent 
all  possibility  of  hunger." 

"  And  how  about  transportation  ?  '* 
"  That  problem  has  been  satisfactorily  solved. 
No  one  centre  is  allowed  to  become  overstocked 
with  the  world's  goods  at  the  expense  of  less 
favored  outskirting  provinces.  Where  the  need 
is,  there  fly  the  needfuls.  Railways,  and  lines  of 
road-vehicles  propelled  by  power,  net  the  land  ; 
while  the  seas  are  highways  over  which  proces- 
sions of  buoyant  ships,  built  of  aluminium  in- 
stead of  iron  and  propelled  by  electric  motors, 
bear  their  brimming  food  baskets.  Thereby,  the 
Grand  Council  of  Nations  is  able  to  deal  with 
the  globe  as  the  market  gardener  of  old  did 
with  his  garden  plat :    whatever  corner  is  best 


116  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

suited  to  a  certain  product,  that  corner  is  de- 
voted to  that  product  and  to  that  alone.  Most 
of  the  fruits  we  ate  at  dinner  were  grown  in 
Africa.  That  country  is  now  the  world's  hot- 
house, and  the  scent  and  flavor  of  its  products 
make  glad  every  table  in  the  world,  while  the 
grainfields  of  the  North  return  their  appropriate 
quota.  The  luxurious  wastefulness  of  constrain- 
ing Naturg_to  half -do  thin£,i,  out  of  latitude  and 
out  of  season,  is  no  longer  ^.;*c4iic2,bre." 

"  And  the  farmers  —  do  they  not  still  own 
their  farms,  and  have  the  right  to  do  as  they 
will  with  their  own  ?  " 

"Within  certain  limits — yes;  but  they  no 
longer  have  the  right  to  buy  or  sell  the  lands 
they  occupy,  for  the  reason  —  which  some  of 
your  far-sighted  thinkers  perceived,  and  which 
experience  has  proved  to  be  founded  on  princi- 
ples of  justice  —  that  the  general  public  has  a 
direct  interest,  and  consequently  a  prior  right, 
in  the  improvement  and  productiveness  of  all 
lands,  and  is  consequently  responsible  for  re- 
sults. The  breadth  of  land  under  cultivation 
must  be  proportionate  to  the  needs  of  the  pub- 
lic, with  an  ample  margin  of  excess  to  meet 
contingencies.  It  was  discovered  that  a  ques- 
tion of  such  vital  importance  to  the  public  at 
large  could  not  be  trusted  with  safety  to  the  will 
of   irresponsible  individuals;  but  that  the  im- 


THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON.  117 

provement  of  lands,  to  insure  the  best  results, 
must  of  necessity  be  under  the  management  of 
authorities  appointed  as  the  public's  representa- 
tives to  secure  its  highest  good." 

"  You  speak  of  the  improvement  of  lands. 
In  what  does  that  consist  ?  " 

"  Primarily  in  the  building  and  vitalizing  of 
the  soil." 

^'  What  do  you  mean  by  its  building  ?  " 

"  We  have  been  long  accustomed  to  supply 
soil  to  barren  places." 

"  How  do  you  obtain  the  necessary  material  ? 
It  would  seem  to  me  that  you  must  merely  rob 
one  district  to  enrich  another." 

"  Not  at  all.  We  actually  manufacture  soil. 
We  follow  the  lead  of  Nature,  and  simply  sup- 
plement and  hasten  her  processes.  All  soils, 
you  must  know,  are  produced  by  the  disintegra- 
tion of  the  rocks  from  weatherino-  and  the  addi- 
tion  of  accumulations  of  vegetable  mould.  The 
rocks  furnish  the  chief  elements  :  silica,  alumina, 
carbonate  of  lime,  magnesia,  etc.  But,  in  the 
case  of  natural  soils,  only  a  small  proportion  of 
these  have  the  proper  admixture  of  the  elements 
needed  to  produce  the  best  crops." 

"  I  am  still  at  a  loss  to  understand  where 
you  obtain  materials  for  new  combinations  of 
earths." 

"I  will  give  you  an  example.     Let  us  take 


118        THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON. 

the  case  of  a  rocky  hill,  covered  with  boulders 
and  a  thin  soil,  adjoining  which  is  a  large  tract 
of  heavy  clay-land,  wholly  unproductive.  The 
clay  is  glacial  drift  or  boulder  clay,  and  very 
deep.  Well,  we  go  to  work  with  our  great  pul- 
verizers and  grind  up  all  the  loose  rocks  on  the 
hill ;  and  the  boulder  clay  in  vast  quantities  is 
reduced  to  powder  by  the  same  agency.  A  por- 
tion of  the  rock  dust  is  then  transferred  to  the 
clay-lauds,  and  the  clay  dust  to  the  hill.  The 
hill  is  thereby  freed  from  loose  stones,  and  cov- 
ered to  its  summit  by  a  deep,  productive  soil,  laid 
on  in  terraces,  while  the  clay-lands  are  made 
light  and  warm  by  the  aduiixture  of  rock  dust. 
Then,  by  the  annual  addition  of  leaf  mould  from 
the  forests,  and  such  artificial  fertilizers  as  are 
known  to  be  most  suitable  to  the  crops  desired, 
we  gradually  convert  such  waste  places,  tliat  in 
your  day  seemed  hopelessly  barren,  into  lands 
equal  in  productiveness  to  the  richest  river  val- 
leys." 

''  The  process  is  evidently  expensive." 
"  Certainly,  and  it  would  hardly  be  under- 
taken by  individuals,  who,  looking  upon  life  as 
short,  are  apt  to  work  for  immediate  results, 
without  much  reference  to  the  interests  of  fu- 
ture generations.  But  public  expense  in  this  di- 
rection, which  was  reall}''  demanded  by  public 
needs,  has  made  returns  by  the  thousandfold. 


THE    CRYSTAL   BUTTON.  119 

The  increase  in  government  revenues  thus  se- 
cured has  alone  been  sufficient  to  change  penury 
to  i^rosperity." 

"  The  practice  is  excellent,"  said  Paul,  "  and 
it  must,  of  course,  have  vastly  increased  the 
bounty  of  Mother  Earth ;  but  even  then,  I 
should  hardly  expect  that  your  farm  products 
could  keep  pace  with  the  demands  of  your  grow- 
ing population." 

"Up  to  this  time,"  answered  the  Professor 
thoughtfully,  "the  means  of  food  supply  have 
proved  ample.  The  world  is  wide,  and  some 
large  districts  still  remain  unimproved,  so  that 
similar  development  in  the  future  is  still  possible. 
Moreover,  our  forest-lands  are  also  held  in  re- 
serve for  future  necessity,  and  in  them  we  have 
vast  districts  yet  left  to  draw  upon.  From 
what  I  have  already  explained,  you  will  readily 
understand  the  necessity  of  government  author- 
ity in  controlling  all  lands  and  requiring  of 
farmers  that  certain  breadths  be  planted,  and 
with  certain  plants  best  suited  to  the  particular 
soil  and  also  most  needed  to  meet  the  annual 
requirements  in  the  several  lines." 

"  Such  authority  must  sometimes  be  oppres- 
sive to  the  farmers." 

"  Not  at  all.  It  simply  consists  in  indicating 
to  the  farmer  what  his  farm  is  best  calculated 
to  produce,  and  what  products  are  to  be  most  in 


120  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTT  OX. 

demand.  By  thus  preventing  over-production 
in  any  one  line,  it  helj^s  to  keep  prices  stable, 
and  prevents  sjieculation  in  food  products,  which, 
in  your  day,  was  a  tyrannous  vice.  The  uncer- 
tainties that  attended  the  lot  of  the  farmer  as 
you  knew  him  made  him  a  very  different  sort  of 
person  from  the  farmer  of  to-day.  Agricultur- 
ists —  or  horticulturists,  more  properly  —  are 
now  a  very  thrifty  class,  and  they  constitute  a 
large  proportion  of  our  population.  Farming  is 
now  a  favorite  industry,  as  affording  healthful 
occupation,  variety  of  interests,  and  generous 
rewards ;  and  most  of  our  young  men  are  per- 
fectly contented,  if  they  are  so  fortunate  as  to 
secure  good  leases.*' 

"  I  presume  you  know  that  it  was  quite  other- 
wise in  my  time.  Then,  very  few  boys  had  any 
fondness  for  the  hoe,  and  one  and  all  gave  their 
best  thought  and  energy  to  seeking  how  it  might 
be  escaped,  and  a  city  clerkship  secured  in  its 
place." 

The  Professor  laughed.  "  And  was  n't  that 
quite  natural?  The  conditions  that  then  sur- 
rounded farming:  were  all  agfainst  the  farmer. 
Farming  had  not  been  reduced  to  a  science,  and 
it  involved  so  much  menial  labor  and  so  little 
development  of  the  higher  faculties  that  the 
young  men  saw  little  in  it  to  stimulate  their 
best  ambitions.     Moreover,  the  results  of  their 


THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON.  121 

labors  were  so  handicapped  by  inadequate  means 
of  transportation  and  artificial  fluctuations  in 
values  that  their  efforts  were  always  more  or 
less  speculative.  From  lack  of  knowledge,  the 
work  was  irksome  ;  while  the  profits,  when 
there  were  any,  had  a  fashion  of  mainly  accru- 
ing to  the  benefit  of  transportation  companies, 
monopolists  in  the  form  of  middle -men,  and 
speculators.     Was  it  not  so  ?  " 

"  It 's  only  too  clear  that  your  historians  have 
hunted  some  of  our  evil  tendencies  to  their 
holes." 

"  Moreover,  you  seem  to  have  taken  no  steps 
to  make  country  life  attractive.  The  cities  ab- 
sorbed everything  that  was  educational  or  amus- 
ing. Now,  the  social  attractions  of  the  farming 
districts  far  surpass  those  of  the  cities  in  many 
ways ;  while  the  cities  are  so  numerous  and  so 
accessible  that  all  the  advantages  they  possess 
are  easily  obtained  by  those  living  in  the  coun- 
try. Every  country  village  has  its  pleasure- 
house  as  well  as  its  public  library ;  and  tele- 
phones and  pneumatic  tubes  make  these  tributary 
to  the  city  centres." 

"  You  have  pictured,  Professor,  what  appears 
to  me  quite  an  ideal  state  of  suburban  society ; 
and  I  begin  to  understand  how  successfully  you 
have  dealt  with  the  question  of  land  monopoly 
and  landlordism,  that  once  gave  oj)portunities 


122  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

for  SO  much  tyranny  in  some  parts  of  the  workl. 
I  shoukl  now  be  glad  to  know  how  other  kinds 
of  property  are  hekl,  and  whether  you  have  any 
legal  provisions  preventing  the  accumulation  of 
vast  wealth  by  individuals  or  companies,  which 
might  be  detrimental  to  the  public  welfare  by  per- 
mitting selfish  control  of  production  and  prices." 
"  We  have  no  evils  of  that  kind  to  contend 
against.  If  any  such  danger  arose,  there  is  law 
enough  and  righteous  public  opinion  enough  to 
root  it  out  at  short  notice.  The  public  has 
learned  to  have  small  patience  with  individual 
usurpation  of  any  of  its  privileges  and  birth- 
rights. The  tyrant  of  individualism  has  for- 
ever been  put  down.  His  hoarded  and  sluggish 
millions  are  now  the  lively  small  coins  of  the 
populace,  begetting  a  hundredfold  in  the  hands 
of  an  intelligent  and  industrious  people.  Cus- 
tom is  still  a  leading  force  that  governs  men, 
but  custom  founded  on  probity  is  now  the  rule 
of  life ;  and  business  ethics  are  so  firmly 
grounded  among  us  that  any  infraction  of  our 
well  -  established  customs  would  subject  the  of- 
fender to  a  prompt  and  effectual  reprimand 
from  his  fellows.  This  is  generally  sufficient  to 
bring  avarice  to  its  senses ;  but  in  j^laces  where 
moral  evolution  is  less  complete  than  with  us 
here,  —  and  there  are  such  places,  —  laws  of  lim- 
itation  and  restraint   are   brought  into  action. 


THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON.  123 

Such  laws  include  provisions  for  a  special  tax 
on  individual  possessions  judged  unduly  great, 
which  are  designed  ultimately  to  re-absorb  into 
the  public  purse  any  incomes  that  are  excessive 
beyond  all  reason." 

"  In  spite  of  all  the  precautions  you  take,  do 
you  never  have  anything  like  famine  or  great 
scarcity  ?  " 

"Famine  —  never;  and  scarcity  is  rare.  The 
general  average  of  production  throughout  the 
world  varies  but  little  ;  and  any  surplus  is  so 
easily  stored  and  so  perfectly  preserved  that 
there  is  really  no  part  of  the  world  that  need  go 
hungry.  There  have  been  occasions  when  de- 
structive fires  or  floods,  and  especially  those  in- 
terfering with  means  of  communication,  have 
resulted  in  want  in  certain  districts  before  the 
outside  world  could  lend  assistance  ;  yet  such 
disasters  are  extremely  rare  and  only  tempo- 
rary." 

"But  your  crops  must  sometimes  fail?" 

"  Yes,  sometimes  in  certain  sections,  but  never 
in  all.  So  far  as  drouths  are  concerned,  human 
agencies  are  competent  to  prevent  much  dam- 
age so  long  as  rivers  continue  to  flow ;  but  the 
destructive  effects  of  early  frosts  or  of  excessive 
rainfall  are  still  beyond  our  control,  and  these 
occasionally  cause  temporary  disturbance  in  sup- 
plies.    But  the  usual  surplus  is  supposed  to  be 


124  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

ample  to  meet  contingencies  of  this  kind  for  at 
least  a  year  in  advance ;  and  attention  is  imme- 
diately directed  to  adopting  special  measures 
for  snppl3ang  the  deficit." 

"  Of  course,  Professor,  many  other  questions 
are  suggested  to  me  by  what  you  have  already 
explained.     May  I  ask  a  few  ?  " 

"  As  many  as  you  jDlease." 

*'  Do  the  farmers  own  their  homes  and  other 
buildings,  and  have  any  legal  tenure  on  the 
lands  the}''  occupy  ?  " 

"  The  lands  are  simply  leased  by  the  Govern- 
ment to  the  occupants,  who  hold  them  as  long  as 
they  please  by  paying  a  certain  stipulated  rental. 
They  erect  their  own  homes  and  farm-buildings." 

"Some  of  these  newly -improved  lands  of 
which  you  have  spoken  must  be  wonderfully 
productive.  How  does  the  Government  secure 
an  appropriate  return  ?  " 

"  If  the  improvements  are  made  by  the  Gov- 
ernment, the  return  is  derived  from  increased 
rental.  If  made  by  the  occupant,  the  reward 
belongs  of  course  to  him.  Occupants  of  infe- 
rior land  sometimes  appeal  to  the  Government 
for  aid  in  making  improvements,  on  the  condi- 
tion of  paying  a  stipulated  increase  of  rental. 
The  ordinary  rules  of  business  prudence  deter- 
mine what  shall  be  done  in  such  cases." 

"  And   the    farmer   himself  —  tell    me.    Pro- 


THE  CRYSTAL   BUTTON.  125 

fessor,  what  has  become  of  him,  in  this  process 
of  agricultural  evolution  ?  " 

"  He  has  simply  taken  his  proper  place  in 
Nature's  beneficent  plan.  He  is  no  longer  a 
beast  of  burden.  He  works  still  —  works  more 
industriously  than  ever  before ;  but  he  works 
hopefully,  as  he  was  meant  to  work  —  with  his 
brain  as  well  as  his  back,  as  planner  and  direc- 
tor rather  than  as  brute  force.  He  works  intel- 
ligently, with  agents  that  he  understands,  and 
in  the  direction  of  assured  results,  so  that  every 
stroke  counts.  He  has  trained  the  forces  of 
Nature  to  do  his  brute  work.  He  has  even 
taught  them  to  relieve  his  brute  companions  of 
a  large  part  of  what  was  formerly  their  accus- 
tomed labor.  Oxen  no  longer  painfully  drag 
the  plough  through  stony  ground ;  horses  no 
longer  pant  and  quiver  under  thrice  normal 
loads.  Steam  and  electricity  and  motive  forces 
whereof  your  century  had  no  knowledge  now 
form  the  muscles  of  the  farmer's  arms,  and 
catch  their  power  from  the  sun  and  the  winds 
and  the  tides.  The  farmer  has  ceas.ed  battling 
with  Nature,  and  taken  her  into  willing  copart- 
nership." 

"  I  suppose  there  are  enough  white- weeds  and 
beetles  to  keep  him  from  becoming  lazy." 

"  Well,  pretty  much  all  the  weed  pests  and 
insect  pests  have  either  been  yoked  into  service, 


126  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

or  left  no  opportunity  for  propagation.  Even 
the  so-called  accidents  of  Nature  are  now  seldom 
complained  of,  but  from  them  her  laws  have 
been  codified.  Knowledge  has  become  power  in 
its  broadest  sense." 

"  And  pleasure  —  has  that  any  part  in  the 
scheme  of  the  forty-ninth  century,  so  far  as  the 
farmer  is  concerned  ?  " 

"  Ay !  to  an  extent  that  the  nineteenth  cen- 
tury knew  not  of.  Mr.  Prognosis,  we  have 
learned  that  willing  work,  in  fields  fitted  to  the 
capacity  of  the  worker,  is  of  itself  one  of  the 
highest  forms  of  pleasure  ;  and  freedom  from  all 
fear  of  future  want,  for  himself  and  members 
of  his  family,  —  which  is  now  placed  within  the 
reach  of  every  man  desiring  to  become  a  citizen 
—  contributes  to  assure  that  contentment  and 
peace  of  mind  that  alone  can  give  to  leisure  any 
possibility  of  pleasurable  recreation.  In  brief, 
Mr.  Prognosis,  and  as  a  sort  of  parting  saluta- 
tion, I  am  glad  to  tell  you  that  the  experimental 
age  in  farming  is  past ;  the  age  of  realization 
has  come  \  the  earth  blossoms  like  a  rose,  and 
man  laughs  in  the  rose-field  that  Nature  and  he 
have  together  created.  Good-night !  and  pleas- 
ant dreams !  " 

"  The  same  to  you.  Professor.  Good  -  night ! 
Well,"  muttered  Paul,  as  he  prepared  for  retir- 
ing, "I  suppose  I  might  sleep  comfortably  in 


THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON.  Ill 

this  strange  costume,  but  it  would  probably  be 
more  restful  not  to.  Marco  got  me  into  it 
readily  enough,  but  I  really  need  him  to  help 
me  out.  Smudge,  I  don't  suppose  you  can  ex- 
plain the  mystery,  can  you  ?  This  must  be  the 
line  of  separation.  But  I  find  no  buttons.  Ah  ! 
these  buckles  and  snaps  no  doubt  perform  the 
same  function.  Presto !  and  in  an  instant  I 
am  ready  for  bed." 

A  thought  suddenly  struck  him,  and  he  peered 
cautiously  into  the  looking-glass  to  observe  the 
effect  of  his  new  headgear  —  or  lack  of  it.  He 
looked  more  than  once  —  first  solemnly,  but 
finally  with  laughter  so  immoderate  that  he 
feared  he  might  disturb  the  sleeping  family. 
"  Well,"  he  said,  "  my  admission  as  a  Learned 
Fellow  is  practically  assured.  The  learned  pres- 
ident cannot  beat  that !  " 


PART   III. 

THE  CRYSTAL  BUTTON. 


CHAPTER   XV. 

Tlie  Library, 

Paul  awoke  at  daybreak  thoroughly  re- 
freshed, and  soon  proceeded  to  the  Professor's 
library,  where,  being  of  a  decidedly  bookish 
turn  of  mind,  he  longed  to  acquaint  himself 
with  the  rows  of  volumes  that  literally  walled 
the  room.  But  to  his  regret  and  vexation,  he 
found  himself  a  stranger  to  the  pages  of  printed 
stenography  that  constituted  the  bulk  of  the  col- 
lection. However,  a  little  roll  of  tinfoil,  that 
he  discovered  to  be  the  morning  newsj^aper,  lay 
upon  the  table ;  and  by  placing  this  in  the  pho- 
nograjjh,  with  which  he  was  already  acquainted, 
he  was  enabled  to  listen  to  its  news,  as  if  spoken 
by  a  person  face  to  face  with  him. 

Then  again  he  began  to  examine  the  treasures 
on  the  shelves,  and  was  happy  to  find  that  many 
compartments    contained    rolls    similar   to   the 


THE    CRYSTAL   BUTTON.  129 

newspaper,  which  needed  only  the  phonograph 
to  give  them  voice.  Among  these  he  came 
across  one  entitled  :  "  History  of  the  Rise  and 
Fall  of  the  Republic  of  Washington."  "  Rise 
and  Fall !  "  he  repeated,  emphasizing  the  last 
word.  "  That  is  news  indeed  —  the  saddest  news 
that  I  could  hear.  But  ought  I  to  be  surprised  ? 
Was  it  not  written  on  the  wall,  even  in  my 
time  ?  Let  us  see  how  it  begins."  And  here 
are  the  observations  with  which  the  chronicle 
opened  :  — 

"  In  the  history  of  the  rise  and  fall  of  nations, 
there  are,  in  many  instances,  periods  of  such 
brilliancy  and  beauty  that  they  shine  out  from 
the  records  of  time  like  beacon  lio'hts  along:  the 
shore.  Such  a  period  is  the  one  wherein  the 
Republic  of  Washington  was  established.  Ifc 
marked  an  important  era  in  the  progress  of  en- 
franchisement. It  was  the  work  of  a  noble  band 
of  reformers,  whose  standard  was  self-govern- 
ment. Before  proceeding  to  describe  it,  the 
careful  student  of  history  should  recall  one  uni- 
versal fact  that  is  a  necessary  preliminary  to  cor- 
rectly understanding  its  lesson,  which  is  briefly 
this.  During  and  preceding  all  periods  of  unu- 
sual national  prosperity  and  mental  activity,  that 
always  denote  the  working  out  of  some  great 
public  question,  when  representative  men  rise  to 
proud  eminence,  we  may  always  expect  to  find 


130         THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

a  high  standard  of  public  virtue.  Whether  the 
form  of  government  be  simple  or  comj)lex, 
whether  a  dynasty  or  a  democracy,  whether  the 
ruling  powers  be  many  or  few,  we  ever  find  that 
public  spirit  is  ennobled  by  a  lofty  ideal,  and 
that  the  representatives  of  that  ideal  are  men 
notable  for  a  high  degree  of  unselfishness,  manly 
integrity,  and  exalted  ambition. 

"  On  the  other  hand,  the  existence  of  a  people 
characterized  by  a  low  ideal  and  by  leaders  who 
are  notorious  for  double-dealing,  faithlessness, 
and  treachery,  clearly  marks  a  period  of  decay, 
which  is  invariably  followed  by  moral  torpor, 
then  feverish  unrest,  revolution,  chaos,  and 
finally  by  reorganization  on  a  foundation  of 
greater  simplicity  and  stability.  The  biogra- 
phies of  individuals  who  have  been  leaders  are 
chiefly  instructive  because  they  present  a  key 
to  the  character  of  the  public  and  condition  of 
public  morals  of  which  they  are  the  outgrowth. 
No  ruler  is  a  tyrant  till  he  is  backed  by  a  public 
spirit  of  tyranny ;  no  leader  can  be  lawless  un- 
less he  is  the  exponent  of  a  lawless  public  spirit ; 
no  leader  can  be  the  characterization  of  dishon- 
esty and  fraud  unless  he  is  inspired  and  sup- 
ported by  a  public  spirit  that  is  likewise  contam- 
inated. As  wise  and  powerful  governments  have 
been  created,  so  also  have  they  gone  to  their 
downfall  —  by  reason  of  the  combined  and  long- 


THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON.  131 

continued  influences  of  every  act  of  every  indi- 
vidual composing  the  population.  Upon  every 
such  unit,  every  such  individual  person,  rests  in 
due  pro2:>ortion  the  resj)onsibility  of  rise  and  fall, 
progress  or  degeneracy,  on  the  part  of  a  people." 

*'  Ah  !  "  sighed  Paul,  '^  I  have  no  heart  to 
read  more.  If  this  rule  be  founded  on  the  eter- 
nal verities,  and  I  believe  it  is,  what  else  could 
be  the  meaning  of  the  flaming  horizon  down 
which  the  setting  sun  of  the  nineteenth  century 
sank,  than  just  what  the  title  of  this  fatal  his- 
tory indicates  ?  I  do  not  need  to  hear  the  de- 
tails. I  will  not  hear  them  I  We  kept  hoping 
for  a  prophet  to  arise.  Perhaps  he  spoke,  but 
we  hearkened  not.  We  were  disposed  to  lay 
the  blame  on  our  leaders ;  but  while  each  man 
attended  selfishly  to  his  own  petty  cares  and  de- 
sires, content  to  be  served,  and  had  no  time  and 
no  desire  to  serve  others,  what  could  we  expect 
of  those  whom  we  exalted  to  our  high  places, 
but  that  they  also  should  be  creatures  of  sel- 
fishness, fashioned  after  the  shape  of  those  by 
whom  they  were  fathered.  Alas  !  and  alas  !  for 
the  aspirations  of  those  who  hoped  against  hope 
in  those  evil  days  !  " 

The  next  phonograph  he  took  up  proved  to  be 
a  compendium  of  common  law,  which  was  not 
attractive  to  him.  "  But  what  is  this  drawer 
devoted  to  ?  —  the  largest  in  the  room.    Phvsics. 

O  1 


132  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

All !  now  I  am  more  at  home.  Here  is  the 
pith  of  the  accumulated  research  and  wisdom  of 
thirty  centuries.  Oh,  for  time  to  study  these 
rare  records !  I  will  just  see  what  this  tape  has 
to  say.  It  seems  rather  abstruse  —  this  opening 
observation  :  — 

"  '  The  ether  of  space  is  primordial  matter  in 
equilibrium.     Its  tendency  to  expansion  is  equal 
to  the   cohesion    of   its   atoms.     It   is   residual 
matter  from  which  systems  have  been  formed. 
Being  continuous  throughout  space,  and  having 
no   centres    of    concentration    excepting   at    the 
widely  separated   nebulous  clouds,  it   is  practi- 
cally free  from  the  effects  of  gravitation.     So 
small  is  the  mass  of  matter  that  constitutes  sys- 
tems, as  compared  with  the  space  whence  it  has 
been  gathered,  that  if  the  sun  and  all  its  planets 
were  to  expand  and  again  fill  the  space  they  once 
occupied,  the  space  reaching  to  the  mid-regions 
between  us  and    the   other   systems,   the  result 
would  be  as  if  a  mustard  seed  should  swell  until 
its  atoms  occupied  a  space  forty  miles  in  diam- 
eter.    By  this  figure  we  can  realize  the  tenuity 
of  primordial  matter,  and  understand  the  rea- 
sons of  the  wide  separation  of  the  stellar  cen- 
tres.' 

"  Well,  well !  "  said  Paul,  "  this  is  a  rather 
vague  beginning,  but  I  am  evidently  going  to  find 
a  feast  before  me.     Ah  I  here  is  a  tape  devoted 


THE    CRYSTAL    BUTTON.  133 

to  electricity.  I  wonder  if  they  have  solved 
the  secrets  of  that  subtle  wonder.  Qh,  yes !  but 
pretty  much  all  the  words  in  which  the  story 
is  told  are  new  to  me.  I  see  I  shall  have  to  go 
to  school  again,  and  begin  in  the  primary  class, 
before  I  can  understand  much  about  the  modern 
development  of  the  sciences.  I  suppose  I  ought 
to  be  somewhat  discouraged,  but  I  do  not  feel 
so.  '  More  ! '  and  ever  '  More  ! '  is  the  scientist's 
cry.  This  next  alcove  is  evidently  devoted  to 
astronomy.  What  splendid  atlases  !  And  some, 
of  these,  I  see,  have  titles  and  inscriptions  which 
I  am  able  to  read.  I  suppose  they  are  covmted 
among  the  ancient  works.  Here  's  '  The  Plan- 
etary Systems  of  the  Three  Principal  Stars  in 
the  Belt  of  Orion,'  and  '  The  Age  of  the  Sun  and 
Promise  of  its  Future,'  and  '  Mean  Temperature 
of  the  Tropical  Regions  of  Mars,  and  Average 
Humidity  of  its  Atmosphere.'  Treasures  upon 
treasures !  What  a  house  of  knowledge  I  am 
now  privileged  to  visit,  where  the  seers  of  the 
past  are  prepared,  at  bidding,  to  step  forth  and 
solve  all  mysteries  of  the  physical  universe ! 
Time  !  time  !  give  me  but  time  and  continued  use 
of  my  mental  faculties,  and  here  will  I  satisfy 
some  of  my  hunger  for  solid  facts." 

At  this  point  the  Professor  entered,  with  a 
cheerful  "  Good-morning,  friend  Prognosis.  I 
see  you  are  also  an  early  bird.    I  heard  you  mov- 


134  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

ing  about,  and  guessed  what  you  were  doing. 
But  I  fear  you  find  some  difficulty  in  getting 
at  the  meaning  of  our  most  recently  printed 
books.  Let  me  help  you.  Don't  speak  of  it  as 
trouble  —  it  will  give  me  pleasure.  To  begin 
with,  the  title  of  the  book  you  hold  in  your  hand 
is  *  Natural  History  and  Destiny  of  Man,'  — 
here  's  what  you  called  evolution,  carried  several 
strides  further  than  you  ever  imagined ;  the 
next  is  '  The  True  Social  State  as  it  now  exists, 
compared  with  that  of  Former  Times,'  —  which 
may  sound  mysterious,  but  it 's  sufficiently  sug- 
gestive; this  is  'Best  Method  of  Checking  Pop- 
ulation within  Reasonable  Limits.'  That  sounds 
startling  to  you,  no  doubt,  but  it 's  a  proposition 
we  have  been  forced  to  meet.  In  your  time, 
war,  pestilence,  famine,  and  unchecked  diseases 
of  many  kinds,  were  agencies  that  amply  per- 
formed the  task ;  but,  such  are  the  sanitary  pro- 
visions of  the  present  time,  that  the  world  would 
soon  be  overstocked  were  it  not  for  wisely  ad- 
justed limitations.  Life  may  now  be  regarded 
as  a  privilege. 

"  Here  in  this  next  alcove  are  sets  of  encyclo- 
pedias, in  which  the  sum  total  of  knowledge  in 
certain  important  branches  of  study  is  presented 
in  brief.  Here  we  find  '  Flora  and  Fauna,  Past 
and  Present ; '  and  here,  a  huge  set  of  volumes 
with   the   single   title  '  Modes,'  —  not  fashions, 


THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON'.  135 

please  understand,  but  the  best  possible  modes 
and  processes  applicable  to  all  mechanical  arts, 
as  epitomized  from  the  annual  reports  of  the 
Central  Bureau  of  Demonstration.  This  series 
includes  the  matter  from  the  final  reports  of  that 
learned  body,  which  is  a  kind  of  court  of  last  re- 
sort; and,  as  the  publication  of  each  book  is  de- 
layed for  many  years  after  they  have  completed 
their  investigations,  so  as  to  eliminate  errors  and 
reconsider  allied  questions  that  the  public  may 
propose,  the  review  of  each  subject,  as  here  pre- 
sented, may  be  considered  exhaustive  and  final. 
Specialists  of  the  highest  talent  throughout  the 
world  have  been  engaged,  for  centuries  past,  in 
carrying  forward  the  comparative  and  demon- 
strative tests  of  which  these  books  are  the  out- 
come ;  and  they  therefore  show,  so  far  as  it  is 
possible  for  the  human  intellect  to  understand, 
the  best  possible  methods  of  securing  all  mate- 
rials and  forces  that  nature  affords,  and  apply- 
ing them  to  the  needs  of  mankind." 

"As  I  understand  you,"  said  Paul,  "this, 
then,  is  the  expressed  substance  of  all  possible 
invention,  filtered,  refined,  and  concentrated,  and 
finally  bottled  in  this  compact  form  for  ready 
reference." 

"  Exactly." 

"  But  how  many  occupations  are  thereby  dis- 
pensed with!    Where  are  the  inventors  now?  — 


136  THE    CRYSTAL    BUTTON. 

that  great  army  of  dreamei's  and  experimenters, 
poor  as  church  mice,  yet  buoyed  by  hope  though 
a  hundred  times  disappointed  in  accomplish- 
ment —  working  tirelessly  day  and  night,  starv- 
ing themselves  and  their  families,  yet  always 
filled  with  glad  visions  of  future  wealth  and  lei- 
sure ;  and  then^  at  last,  when  their  labors  were 
crowned  with  success  and  they  joyfully  gave  the 
world  a  new  rung  in  its  ladder  of  up>vard  prog- 
ress "  — 

^^  What  then?" 

"  Then  —  having  the  mortification  of  seeing 
some  man  of  business,  the  handler,  reap  their 
reward,  —  and,  too  often,  even  the  honor,  —  while 
the  patient  worker,  out  of  pocket  and  out  at  the 
elbows,  went  ruefully  in  search  of  something 
new.  And  what  have  become  of  the  patent  offi- 
cials, patent  solicitors,  patent  lawyers,  patent 
swindlers  ?  Well,  well !  some  of  those  could  be 
dispensed  with  and  yet  give  the  public  no  incon- 
venience." 

'^  The  patent  system  was  long  ago  outgrown. 
Its  usefulness  vanished  as  soon  as  the  age  of  sci- 
ence supplanted  the  age  of  guesswork  and  exper- 
iment. The  age  of  mechanical  discovery  is  now 
practically  past." 

"  Then  you  must  miss  one  of  the  joys  of  life. 
Professor,  I  have  myself  been  an  inventor  and  a 
patentee,  and  I  know  what  it  means.     It  is  a 


THE    CRYSTAL    BUTTON.  187 

rare  pleasure  to  aceomplisli  what  no  one  else  was 
ever  before  able  to  accomplish  —  to  see  a  dream 
gradually  develop  mto  a  solid  reality,  to  see  the 
world  first  sniff  at  it  and  then  snatch  at  it,  and 
to  know  that  the  creation  of  your  mind  has  be- 
come every  man's  servant  and  benefactor.  Even 
though  the  shrewd  man  of  business  might  reap 
all  pecuniary  benefit,  he  could  no  more  deprive 
the  inventor  of  this  proud  satisfaction,  than  the 
book  publisher  or  picture  dealer  to-day  can  de- 
fraud the  poet  or  artist  of  his  joy  of   paternity." 

"But  we  have  no  cause  for  inventors  now." 

"  So  I  understand.  But  again  I  ask  :  What 
has  become  of  those  peculiar  powers  of  the  hu- 
man mind  that  were  formerly  directed  to  the 
duty  of  conquering  the  world  of  matter?  AVith- 
out  war,  the  art  of  war  must  be  lost  and  the 
sword  must  rust  in  its  scabbard." 

"  True  ;  but"  it  is  better  so." 

"Is  it  better  that  any  faculty  of  the  mind 
should  be  lost  or  dwarfed  ?  " 

"  No ;  but  it  may  be  directed  to  wiser  and 
more  beneficent  uses.  Nature  dispenses  with 
useless  members,  and  preserves  and  magnifies 
others.  The  eyes  of  caverned  fishes  disappear, 
while  those  of  the  hawk  are  sharpened  by  neces- 
sity. Use  broadens  a  single  toe  and  claw  until 
they  become  the  iron-like  hoof  of  the  horse,  while 
disuse  shrinks  and  shrivels  the  companion  mem- 


138  THE   CRYSTAL    BUTTON. 

bers  until  no  external  trace  remains.  You  must 
understand  that,  under  the  favorable  conditions 
which  now  surround  the  human  race,  all  powers 
for  evil  are  crippled,  while  those  for  good  are 
given  every  possible  opportunity  for  develop- 
ment. The  '  survival  of  the  fittest,'  which  was 
a  new  by-word  in  your  day,  is  now  a  gospel.  The 
sword  of  war  may  rust,  and  well  it  may  ;  but  the 
bloodless  mace  of  peace  has  a  mission  much  more 
fitting  and  nobler  far.  The  energies  that  your 
inventors  too  often  wasted  in  profitless  hide-and- 
seek  with  the  powers  of  nature  are  now  directed 
toward  perfecting  instruments  of  every  kind  for 
enriching  human  lives.  Our  workers  no  longer 
feel  their  way  and  stumble  blindly  among  un- 
known materials  and  forces,  inflicting  public  in- 
jury in  ignorant  attempts  to  chain  giant  forces, 
as  your  electricians  too  often  did  ;  but  we  now 
walk  forw^ard  by  straight  and  familiar  paths  to 
desired  ends.  Please  try  to  understand,  Mr. 
Prognosis,  that  the  age  you  called  '  Mechanical ' 
we  now  refer  to  as  '  Experimental.'  Your  most 
knowing:  scientist  would  find  himself  ill  at  ease 
in  to-day's  primary  class  in  mechanics." 

Paul   said   nothing    more    on    this    subject. 
What  could  he  say  ? . 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

Tlie  Downfall  of  Old  Forms. 

"  By  the  way,"  said  the  Professor,  "  this  crys- 
tal ornament  on  the  lapel  of  my  coat  must  have 
often  excited  your  curiosity,  though  you  have 
modestly  refrained  from  questioning  me  in  re- 
gard to  it  even  when  I  have  alluded  to  it.  You 
will  find  this  symbol,  as  well  as  the  apple  blos- 
som, repeated  in  one  or  another  form  in  nearly 
all  our  modern  art  works,  and  you  might  think 
it  some  talisman,  some  remnant  from  the  age 
of  superstition,  if  I  gave  you  no  explanation 
of  its  meaning.  Like  the  apple  blossom, — 
which,  in  its  season,  is  used  as  a  like  emblem,  — 
it  recalls  an  event  in  the  world's  history  which 
was  in  the  nature  of  a  crusade,  and  which  led 
ultimately  to  the  possibility  of  establishing  a 
Council  of  Nations  and  inaugurating  the  period 
of  universal  peace.  It  symbolizes  an  object  that 
apj)ealed  to  the  sympathies  of  all  men  and  wo- 
men, without  reference  to  the  particular  religious 
beliefs  held  by  them,  or  lacked  by  them,  and  thus 
afforded  common  ground  for  the  adoption  of  an 


140  THE    CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

ideal  and  inspiration  that  should  be  universal. 
Until  you  understand  the  token  of  this  white 
button,  you  cannot  understand  the  secret  springs 
that  animate  modern  civilization." 

"  You  of  course  greatly  interest  me,  sir,  al- 
though I  have  no  idea  to  v^^hat  you  refer." 

"  The  whole  subject  is  explained  quite  fully 
in  this  book,  and  it  would  well  repay  your  care- 
ful reading ;  but  it  is  unfortunately  printed  in 
our  modern  characters,  which  are,  of  course,  like 
black-letter  to  you.  However,  during  the  hour 
before  breakfast  I  can  give  you  a  general  con- 
ception of  the  main  facts,  if  you  like." 

''  There  is  nothing  I  should  like  better." 

*'  Excepting  to  find  your  home." 

"  I  am  even  willing  that  my  home  should  be 
lost  for  a  little  while  longer,  if  I  can  thereby 
gain  knowledge  of  a  secret  apparently  so  pre- 
cious." 

"  There  is  no  secret  about  it.  It  is  simple  his- 
tory. Well,  the  book  is  entitled  '  The  Crystal 
Button.'  That  sounds  somewhat  sensational, 
does  n't  it  ?  —  as  if  an  estray,  in  the  form  of  an 
amorous  poem,  might  have  elbowed  its  way  into 
my  rather  serious  collection.  But  you  will  find 
nothing  more  serious  in  this  room.  The  open- 
ing chapters  describe  in  detail  the  general  down- 
fall of  the  European  monarchies,  which  tumbled 
at  last  like  a  row  of  blocks." 


THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON.  141 

"  All  tliis  is  new  to  me." 

"  Yes,  I  know  ;  but  it  happened  not  long  af- 
ter your  time.  And  j'ou  must  have  seen  abun- 
dant handwriting  on  the  wall.  You  must  have 
known  the  natural  and  inevitable  results  of  such 
an  artificial  state  of  society,  such  foolish  sec- 
tional pride,  and  such  a  preposterous  attitude  of 
governmental  forces,  as  then  existed  in  Europe. 
Why,  there  before  your  eyes,  with  its  plaints 
ever  in  your  ears,  groveled  a  noble  continent, 
packed  with  intelligent  and  industrious  people, 
who,  for  reasons  we  are  unable  to  understand, 
permitted  their  hardly-earned  substance  to  be 
mainly  devoted  to  the  worse  than  useless  pur- 
pose of  supporting  great  armies  of  idlers,  whom 
you  dignified  by  the  name  of  soldiers,  whose 
only  object  was  to  perpetually  menace  and  chal- 
lenge neighboring  nations.  These  armies,  please 
remember,  were  composed  of  their  ablest-bodied 
and  most  capable  workingmen,  and,  not  only  was 
no  use  made  of  them,  but  they  were  supported 
in  idleness  by  those  who  really  worked,  and  sup- 
plied with  the  costliest  of  all  luxuries  —  military 
armaments.  Why,  Europe  might  much  better 
have  transported,  for  the  time  being,  its  young 
and  middle-aged  men  thus  enrolled,  and  thereby 
saved  the  cost  of  their  maintenance.  The 
women  and  children  would  have  fared  better  in 
their  absence,  and  could  then  have  lived  in  peace. 


142  THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON. 

"  Such  waste  of  men  and  means  could  not, 
of  course,  go  on  forever.  When  one  nation 
lengthened  or  strengthened  its  walls,  all  the 
others  were  compelled  to  do  the  same  ;  and,  the 
broader  its  op^^ortunities,  the  more  onerous  be- 
came its  responsibilities.  In  those  days,  the  very 
pride  and  strength  of  a  nation  meant  its  weak- 
ness. The  growing  disease  pointed  its  own 
cure.  Pride's  pocket-book  was  at  last  emptied. 
Military  glory  was  attacked  in  the  rear,  and 
compelled  to  droop  its  banners.  It  then  lost  its 
hold  on  the  public  sentiment.  Then,  suddenly, 
public  opinion  took  in  hand  its  gorgeous  rega- 
lia, gave  it  a  single  hearty  shake,  —  and  there 
came  an  end  of  it  all.  What  had  appeared  to 
rule  the  destinies  of  Europe  was  discovered  to 
be  merely  the  straw-stuifed  jacket  of  a  field 
scarecrow,  hoisted  on  a  stick.  The  stick  re- 
moved, its  backbone  was  gone ;  and  it  came  to 
ground  in  a  disordered  heap.  Glittering  ar- 
mies melted  like  frost  pictures  on  a  pane,  and 
puppet  princes  became  hunted  outcasts ;  while 
democracy  calmly  proceeded  to  sweep  from  the 
boards  every  rag  that  royalty  left  behind,  and 
set  up  in  their  place  the  simple  modern  system 
of  government  by  the  people. 

"  We  say  that  the  mills  of  the  gods  grind 
slowly  ;  but  it  now  seems  strange  that  men  did 
not    sooner   lend  a  hand  to  make    them    grind 


THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON.  143 

somewliat  faster.  Certainly,  society  now  has 
more  intelligent  knowledge  of  its  powers,  a 
deeper  sense  of  its  responsibilities,  and  far  higher 
faith  in  its  destiny.  We  now  read,  as  a  piece 
of  grim  humor,  the  statements  of  your  historians 
that  Europe,  when  first  liberated,  laid  the  fault 
of  all  its  woes  on  the  shoulders  of  its  princes. 
That  is  a  kind  of  philosophy  we  do  not  counte- 
nance. Your  princes  were  but  flesh-and-blood 
men  till  public  opinion  raised  them  to  thrones 
and  bolstered  them  there.  As  soon  as  public 
opinion  removed  its  artificial  props,  down  came 
the  princes  —  somewhat  less  than  men.  This  is 
a  chapter  in  your  painful  history  which  is  hardly 
comprehensible  to  us." 

'*  When  do  you  say  all  this  happened  ?  " 

*'  I  do  not  now  recall  the  precise  date,  but  it 
was  not  long  after  the  two  Americas  had  pro- 
claimed democracy." 

"  And  England  —  did  even  England  have  to 
succumb  ?" 

"  The  English  monarchy  did.  The  only  won- 
der is  that  her  wise  men  did  not  act  sooner." 

"AndKussia?" 

"  She  was  the  last  and  most  stubborn.  But 
no  power  on  earth  can  withstand  the  assaults  of 
public  opinion  when  thoroughly  aroused  to  ac- 
tion. Well,  in  the  midst  of  the  chaos,  and  con- 
fusion,   and   biting   poverty   that  followed   the 


144  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

monarohical  downfall  in  Europe,  and  by  reason 
of  the  resulting  shock  that  electrified  the  world's 
conscience,  there  arose  a  new  reformer,  a  new 
prophet,  with  the  simj^lest  of  all  doctrines  on 
his  lips,  the  most  cheerful  of  gospels,  and  a 
manly  earnestness  of  manner  that  made  him 
brother  to  all  men." 

"  You  say,  Professor,  that  he  came  by  reason 
of  the  shock.  Does  the  modern  mind  look  upon 
prophets  as  the  outcome  of  emergencies  ?  " 

"  Just  that.  To  have  a  prophet,  there  must 
be  prophecy  in  the  air  —  that  is,  a  general  desire 
and  expectancy  on  the  part  of  the  public  ;  and 
then  some  great  public  need  must  arise  to  sum- 
mon him  to  the  front.  A  prophet  is  merely  the 
mouthpiece  of  the  public's  highest  and  best 
hope,  when,  for  some  reason,  that  hope  must  be 
voiced.  You  may  think  it  strange  that  any  man 
of  the  twentieth  century  should  have  been  able 
to  catch  inspiration  sufficient  to  place  him  high 
among  the  world's  prophets.  If  so,  that  is  sim- 
ply because  you  failed  to  understand  your  times. 
They  were  times  of  ferment.  Education  was 
sufficiently  general  so  that  the  masses  began  to 
understand  their  power,  but  they  were  not  yet 
skilled  in  exercising  it  wisely.  Although  capa- 
ble of  all  things,  they  effected  comparatively  lit- 
tle excepting  to  discourage  old  forms.  But  that 
was  no  doubt  a  needful  preliminary.     For  the 


THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON.  145 

time  being  tliey  lacked  what  all  men  then  lacked 
to  a  fatal  degree  —  moral  stamina.  In  your 
great  labor  revolts,  the  reason  for  their  frequent 
failure  was  not  lack  of  strength  —  there  was  su- 
perabundance of  that.  It  was  because  your 
workingmen,  as  you  seem  to  have  called  your 
masses,  —  now,  all  of  us  are  proud  to  be  known 
as  workingmen,  —  were  inspired  by  no  better 
principles  than  those  against  which  they  re- 
volted. They  demanded  independence,  but, 
when  they  had  it  in  their  hands,  it  too  often  be- 
came lust  for  gain  —  honest  gain  if  practicable, 
but  gain  anyhow  !  Their  leaders  wrung  privi- 
leges from  those  above  them,  only  to  deny  the 
same  privileges  to  those  below  them.  The 
vice  of/ the  age  was  in  every  man's  veins  — idol- 
atry of  mone}^  Till  that  idol  was  dashed  from 
its  pedestal,  there  could  be  no  hope  of  the  reor- 
ganization of  society  on  any  basis  of  permanent 
improvement. 

"  Such  were  the  conditions  of  universal  chaos 
that  opened  the  way  for  the  prophet  of  the 
twentieth  ('entur}^  Who  should  raise  the  new 
banner  under  which  the  world  could  reform  its 
broken  ranks  ?  In  his  make-up,  it  was  evident 
that  at  least  three  conditions  would  be  de- 
manded. He  must  possess  such  knowledge  of 
the  lessons  taught  by  past  as  well  as  current  ex- 
perience,  that  his  point  of  view  should  cut  a 


146         THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON. 

semicircle  behind  him  as  broad  as  the  world's 
history.  He  must  then  be  drawn  by  the  guid- 
ing star  of  a  single  idea,  and  that  idea  must  be 
a  moral  lesson  of  some  kind,  which  should  so 
possess  his  own  soul  as  to  make  him  wholly  un- 
selfish in  all  his  motives,  and  give  him  the  fear- 
less and  untiring  devotion  of  a  heaven-inspired 
enthusiasm.  He  must  also  be  one  of  the  people, 
familiar  with  all  their  hopes  and  sorrows,  and 
yet  lacking  the  vices  and  prejudices  common  to 
his  fellow -men.  But  how  was  this  condition 
possible  ?  It  seemed  impossible.  Yet,  as  events 
finally  turned,  the  challenge  for  such  a  leader 
was  answered  by  a  man  in  whom  great  sorrow 
and  mental  shock  had  so  purged  all  selfish  con- 
cerns of  life  that  he  was  practically  freed  from 
all  the  limitations  of  his  day.  In  brief,  all  three 
conditions  were  fulfilled  in  the  person  of  John 
Costor,  whose  life  and  work  I  will  now  try  to 
briefly  describe." 


CHAPTER   XVn. 

Ap^arance  of  John   Costor,   The  Apostle  of 

Truth, 

Partly  reading,  partly  conversing,  the  Pro- 
fessor gave  the  following  summary  of  the  sub- 
Iject. 

Unlike  all  previous  prophets,  nothing  is  un- 
known or  in  any  way  mysterious  about  the  bi- 
ography of  John  Costor.  Little  of  interest  oc- 
curred during  his  early  life,  but  that  little  he 
freely  told,  and  such  were  the  news  facilities 
of  the  twentieth  century  that  all  he  told  was 
faithfully  recorded.  We  have  no  legendary  lore 
about  him. 

He  was  of  Scandinavian  parentage,  and  had 
the  strength  and  devotion  characteristic  of  that 
hardy  people,  but  he  was  born  and  bred  on  the 
Great  Lakes  of  North  America,  and  his  early 
life  was  divided  between  the  cities  and  the  lone- 
liness of  the  lakeside  hills.  His  frequent  refer- 
ences to  Niagara  Falls,  then  at  its  acme  of  maj- 
esty, now  past,  give  evidence  that  he  caught 
some  of  his  inspiration  from  early  familiarity 
with  that  mouthpiece  of  nature. 


148  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

He  passed  his  early  manhood  in  outdoor  labor 
and  wholesome  obscurity ;  but  he  was  a  careful 
observer  and  intelligent  reader,  and  was  justly 
considered  a  leading  authority  on  questions  per- 
taining to  political  and  natural  liistor}^  His 
mind  had  been  bent  in  these  directions  by  the 
early  teachings  of  his  father,  who  was  a  school- 
teacher, and  the  son  proved  his  ablest  scholar. 
He  finally  married,  moved  into  the  new  country 
of  the  northwest,  and  made  a  thrifty  home  for 
his  wife  and  children.  Although  commonly 
counted  a  silent  man,  he  is  represented  as  hav- 
ing been  peculiarly  boyish  and  merry  when  in 
the  society  of  his  family,  in  whose  welfare  then 
centred  his  every  life-interest. 

One  night,  while  he  was  absent  from  home, 
his  wife  and  children  and  several  near  relatives 
were  murdered  b}'  Indians,  who  were  then  in  re- 
volt against  the  Government  of  Washington  and 
consequently  against  all  its  white  people,  on  the 
ground  that  solemn  pledges  had  been  broken 
and  treaties  trampled  upon  whenever  the  wishes 
of  the  whites  came  in  conflict  with  those  of  their 
humble  wards. 

It  was  on  a  June  morning  when  he  returned 
on  horseback,  singing  a  ballad  and  filled  with 
glad  anticipations.  In  the  place  of  house  and 
home  and  family,  he  found  a  heap  of  ashes  and 
the   charred   remains  of  his  loved  ones.     The 


THE    CRYSTAL   BUTTON.  149 

shock  was  too  much  for  even  his  powerful  organ- 
izatiou.  When  his  neighbors  found  him,  he  sat 
beside  the  grave  of  his  wife,  that  he  had  heaped 
with  apple  blossoms,  holding  a  crystal  orna- 
ment he  had  taken  from  her  neck,  and  saying : 
"  Even  as  you  have  always  been  the  soul  of 
truth,  so  this  bit  of  clear  crystal  is  an  image 
of  your  spirit."  For  many  weeks  he  was  like 
one  distraught,  wandering  about  the  ashes  of 
his  former  home  as  in  a  dream,  muttering : 
"  Truth,  truth !  All  that  was  mine  is  sacrificed 
to  the  ogre  of  political  deceit !  " 

To  the  astonishment  of  all  who  knew  him,  he 
joined  the  very  band  of  Indians  who  had  com- 
mitted the  crime,  and  became  a  trusted  compan- 
ion of  the  chieftain.  It  was  thought  by  some 
that  his  mind  was  gone,  and  that  he  was  conse- 
quently not  responsible  for  this  erratic  course, 
while  others  shook  their  heads  and  prophesied 
that  his  present  aim  was  to  discover  and  23ursue 
with  fearful  vengeance  the  authors  of  his  woe. 
In  after  years,  when  an  opponent  publicly  as- 
sailed him  with  this  charge,  he  silenced  it  with 
the  simple  declaration :  ''  In  Truth's  name,  it 
was  as  you  say.  I  then  lived  in  darkness  such 
as  I  trust  you  may  never  know,  but  it  was  dark- 
ness that  preceded  a  brighter  daydawn  with  a 
broader  horizon.  I  have  put  night  behind  me. 
In  Truth's  name,  my  friend,  let  us  now  join 


150  THE   CRYSTAL    BUTTON. 

hands  to  lead  the  world  into  sunshine."  And 
he  who  was  an  opponent  became  a  life  long  co- 
worker with  Costor  in  his  great  labor  of  love. 

It  was  afterward  learned  that  the  chieftain 
whom  the  stricken  man  joined  was  indebted  to 
the  elder  Costor  for  some  great  boon  in  early 
life  and  also  for  a  winter's  home  and  schooling. 
When  he  learned  that  his  braves  were  the  mur- 
derers of  his  friend's  family,  he  bared  his  breast 
and  said :  "  Let  the  blow  fall  here.  But  spare 
my  people.  Tlieir  homes,  like  yours,  are  gone. 
The  whites  were  to  blame,  but  you  were  not  to 
blame."  Then  Costor  joined  hands  with  the 
chief,  and  with  him  went  into  exile  among  the 
hills. 

So  it  was  that,  for  five  years,  nothing  was 
heard  of  John  Costor ;  and  such  was  the  rapid 
succession  of  excitins:  events  then  attractins: 
public  attention  that  his  life -tragedy  was  well- 
nigh  forgotten.  But  a  wonderful  work  of  prep- 
aration was  going  on  in  that  remote  Indian 
camp.  The  lonely  white  man  became  like  one 
who  has  ascended  a  mountain-top  to  commune 
directly  with  the  sun  and  stars.  In  the  simpli- 
city of  the  lives  of  his  new  friends,  wherein  the 
struggle  for  food  was  the  foremost  object  of  all 
action,  he  read  anew  the  story  of  humanity. 
Stripped  of  all  robes  with  which  civilization  of 
the   nineteenth  century  covered    its  moral  de- 


THE   CRYSTAL    BUTTON.  151 

formities,  he  found  iu  his  mates  men  whose  only 
cry  was  "  Food  !  "  This  was  also  the  beast's 
cry.  But  these  were  not  beasts.  In  some  of 
their  impulses  they  seemed  more  admirable  in 
his  eyes  than  the  more  polished  offsprings  of  the 
cities.  In  many  instances  they  showed  themselves 
more  truthful.  This  native  chief  of  the  tribe, 
royal  in  face  and  bearing,  resolute,  untiring  in 
labor,  and  frank  to  a  degree  that  perhaps  had  no 
equal  among  the  state  rulers  of  his  day  —  what 
was  his  true  position  in  the  scale  of  human  de- 
velopment? Might  he  not  hold  a  higher  rank 
than  some  of  his  more  fortunate  white  brothers, 
whose  civilization  was  a  word  of  contempt  in 
his  ears  ?  In  this  retired  world  of  introspec- 
tion, attracted  and  finally  won  by  the  simplicity 
of  his  new  friends,  and  with  conscience  pricked 
to  do  some  good  deed  to  them  and  to  the  world, 
in  reparation  for  the  act  of  revenge  he  had  pur- 
posed, John  Costor  finally  caught  the  seed  of  an 
insj^iration  which,  in  the  mighty  march  of  events, 
was  destined  to  fill  the  world  with  blossom  and 
fruit.  "  By  Heaven ! "  he  one  day  exclaimed,  as 
he  gazed  on  the  crystal  button  he  always  wore, 
"  in  all  that  1  find  fair,  it  is  truth  that  makes  it 
so.  And  all  that  is  wicked  and  miserable  and 
unhappy  shows  untruth  in  some  form  scowling 
beneath  its  mask,  however  painted  and  gilded. 
All  that  was  dear  to  me  in  this  life  was  sacri- 


152  THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON: 

ficecl  to  the  ogre  of  iintrnth  and  its  broken 
pledges.  I  now  stand  alone  in  the  world,  with 
eyes  opened  and  with  hands -free.  The  world, 
smitten  by  the  results  of  its  errors,  awaits  a  new 
spring  of  action.  It  is  clear  to  me  that  here 
we  have  it.  I  now  devote  myself  to  the  sacred 
cause  of  Truth.  By  her  ministrations,  and  by 
hers  alone,  can  the  world  hope  to  find  clues 
leading  to  prosperity  and  happiness  !  " 

When  Costor  emerged  from  his  obscurity,  he 
was  well  prepared  for  the  solemn  duty  to  which 
he  had  dedicated  himself.  His  mind  was  thor- 
oughly imbued  with  a  deep  sense  of  the  wide- 
spread evils  resulting  from  falsehood,  deceit,  and 
all  forms  of  injustice.  He  rightfully  believed 
that,  if  every  man  could  be  induced  by  any 
means  to  lead  a  life  of  absolute  truthfulness  and 
simple  honesty,  all  forms  of  injustice  and  wrong 
would  in  time  be  swept  away.  The  many  tan- 
gles of  belief  and  theory  that  held  men  in  bond- 
age or  antagonism,  he  sought  not  to  unravel. 
"Time  will  cure  these  errors,"  he  said,  "if  truth 
continues  to  be  the  constant  watchword." 

Thus,  a  stranger  and  unannounced,  Costor 
appeared  one  day  in  the  suburb  of  one  of  the 
great  cities,  and  began  to  speak.  It  was  at  a 
time  near  the  anniversary  of  his  great  sorrow. 
The  apple-tree  that  shaded  him  as  he  spoke  was 
a  snowdrift  of  white  and  pink  bloom.     He  held 


THE    CRYSTAL   BUTTON.  153 

a  spray  of  it  in  one  hand,  and  in  the  other,  the 
crystal  button  which  formed  the  text  of  his  dis- 
course. He  told  his  story  with  simplicity  but 
strength.  There  was  nothing  at  all  remarkable 
about  the  beoinnino-  he  made.  It  was  a  small 
beginning,  and  its  growth  was  slow. 

After  a  while,  when  he  became  a  little  more 
sure  of  himself,  he  entered  the  city,  and  began 
a  seines  of  rather  homely  but  very  direct  and 
forcible  addresses.  Here  his  audience  speedily 
increased.  His  subject  was  always  the  same  — 
Truth.  The  silent  man  was  gradually  finding 
a  tonofue,  and  it  was  soon  admitted  that  such 
a  tongue  never  before  spake  the  English  lan- 
guage. In  debate,  he  was  like  a  trumpet  voice 
from  the  sky,  whose  every  word  thrilled  his 
heai-ers  to  their  very  souls.  His  audience  be- 
gan to  include  all  classes,  rich  and  poor,  and 
educated  as  well  as  illiterate.  "  Truth,  truth, 
truth  !  "  was  ever  the  topic  of  his  discourse,  but 
he  was  never-failing  in  his  resources  for  freshly 
presenting  it.  He  discreetly  avoided  all  men- 
tion of  religion  or  politics  or  philosophy,  but 
vkept  the  same  clear  note  forever  resounding. 
He  never  generalized,  but  addressed  himself  to 
every  hearer  as  an  individual,  saying:  "I 
speak  the  gospel  of  Truth,  which  means  peace  J 
on  earth  and  good-will  toward  men.  Let  every  * 
man  be  true  to  himself  and  to  his  fellow-men, 


154  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

and  Eden  will  as^ain  blossom  on  the  earth.  I 
have  no  word  to  tell  you  of  the  life  hereafter, 
for  I  do  not  know,  —  but  this  I  do  know,  that 
untruth  is  the  serpent  whose  poison  now  taints 
every  fountain  of  private  and  public  life.  Scotch 
that  snake  in  the  grass,  and  law  will  then  mean 
justice,  power  will  mean  ability,  work  will  mean 
abundance,  and  duty  well  done  will  crown  all 
with  happiness."  Such  was  the  general  current 
of  his  thoughts. 

Here,  again,  he  is  quoted  as  saying  :  "  Let  us 
now  reason  together  aloud,  just  as  each  one  has 
no  doubt  reasoned  by  himself,  in  agony  of  soul, 
when  there  was  none  to  give  comfort.  I  believe 
that  I  can  give  you  comfort,  —  no,  not  give  it  to 
you,  but  give  you  the  secret  by  which  you  can 
gain  the  boon,  if  you  will  only  do  your  part. 

"  Each  man  of  us  is  capable  of  living  a  larger 
and  better  and  happier  life  than  he  has  thus  far 
known.  I  believe  this,  —  I  know  this.  Why, 
then,  do  we  continue  to  suffer  ?  It  is  not  merely 
because  we  have  to  work.  Work  does  not  mean 
unhappiness.  Work  of  the  right  kind,  and  in 
right  quantity,  and  with  the  right  recompense, 
is  what  you  and  I  and  all  of  us  want  and  de- 
mand, in  order  to  take  a  first  step  toward  happi- 
ness. If  any  man  now  within  reach  of  my  voice 
is  afraid  of  work,  let  him  understand  that  I 
have  nothing  to  offer  in  answer  to  his  cravings. 


THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON.  155 

I  speak  as  one  worker  to  another.  If  you  are 
that  other,  hearken  !  and  I  will  try  to  make  my 
voice  the  voice  of  your  conscience,  even  as  it  is 
of  my  own. 

"  Each  one  of  us  is  capable  of  a  higher  des- 
tiny. Each  one  of  us  really  loves  truth,  virtue, 
and  the  performance  of  kindly  offices.  All  men 
love  these  qualities  in  others,  and  are  even  ready 
to  worship  them  as  godlike  attributes.  Why, 
then,  is  man  denied  the  full  enjoyment  of  these 
and  other  ennobling  virtues,  which  are  neces- 
sary to  his  happiness  on  this  earth  ? 

"  Is  it  not  because  he  feels  he  must  protect 
himself  by  a  defensive  armor  of  caution,  tem- 
pered with  suspicion,  and  reinforced  by  a  hel- 
met of  secrecy  and  a  shield  of  deceit  ?  He  fears 
evil  ways  in  others,  and  proves  by  frequent  ex- 
perience that  his  fears  are  well  founded.  He 
would  be  glad  to  have  faith  in  his  fellow-men, 
but  even  his  childhood  was  made  unhappy  by 
wounds  from  the  arrows  of  deceit.  Do  you  re- 
member the  first  time  you  ever  detected  any  one 
in  an  untruth  ?  It  may  have  been  a  brother,  a 
trusted  friend,  —  it  may  even  have  been  a  par- 
ent. Can  you  now  recall  the  shudder  that  tlien 
ran  through  your  whole  being?  In  that  very 
hour  you  were  cast  out  of  Eden.  You  then 
looked  into  the  serpent's  eyes,  and  it  was  Eden 
no  longer.     Do  you  shudder  now  when  the  ser- 


156  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

pent's  hiss  of  untruth  sounds  at  your  side  ?  Do 
you  recognize  it  as  a  hiss  ?  Do  you  not  some- 
times admire  it  in  others  and  even  cultivate  it 
in  yourself,  as  one  of  the  weapons,  one  of  the 
diplomacies,  of  current  life,  necessary  if  one 
would  keep  his  place  in  the  moving  phalanx? 
Is  it  not  a  fact,  to-day,  that  man's  ordinary  in- 
tercourse with  his  neighbor  and  even  with  his 
closest  friend,  however  pleasantly  conducted,  is 
marked  by  considerations  that  ought  only  to 
find  expression  between  open  enemies? 

"  Where  lies  the  blame  ?  Of  course  it  is  easy 
to  say  that  such  unworthy  phases  of  human 
character  are  inherited  from  the  barbarism  of 
past  ages  ;  that  they  have  been  kept  alive  and 
nourished  by  the  degenerating  influences  of  war- 
fare and  the  animosities  growing  out  of  fanati- 
cal differences  of  creed.  When  our  consciences 
are  pricked,  we  are  all  too  ready  to  anoint  the 
wound  with  excuses  of  this  sort.  W^e  also  say 
—  you  and  I  —  that  such  are  the  settled  customs 
of  the  world,  and  we  must  conform  ourselves 
to  them,  or  be  pushed  to  the  wall.  I  ask  you, 
ill  all  honesty :  would  it  not  be  better,  then,  to 
be  pushed  to  the  wall  ?  And  are  we  not  already 
against  the  wall  ?  And  are  we  not  constantly 
pushing  and  drawing  others  to  it,  —  which  is 
much  worse?  And  are  there  just  now  in  the 
world,  where  all  is  chaos,  any  customs  so  settled 


THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON.  157 

and  of  the  nature  of  cornerstones  that  it  would 
not  be  well  to  search  for  the  flaw  of  deceit  upon 
them,  and  if  it  appears,  to  topple  them  over,  come 
what  may?  By  the  eternal  verities,  my  bro- 
thers, I  tell  you  there  is  nothing  stable  in  thj^ 
universe  but  Truth  !  I  tell  you  that  one  thing  is 
now  lacking,  and  only  one  thing,  and  that  thing 
is  Truth  !  The  time  has  come  for  that  new 
and  higher  and  nobler  civilization  which  is  man's 
heritage  on  earth  as  soon  as  he  is  willing  to 
grasp  it ;  and  here  is  the  only  key  to  heaven- 
like civilization.  I  believe  it  is  the  civilization 
of  Truth  that  the  world  now  awaits  ;  and,  until 
that  is  attained,  welcome  chaos ! 

"  The  godlike  power  of  creating  this  new  civ- 
ilization of  Truth  —  which  is  to  quell  our  right- 
eous anger,  feed  us  and  our  families,  give  us 
peace,  and  fill  our  hearts  with  contentment  and 
happiness  —  is  within  the  keeping  of  every  man 
before  me.  Let  us  look  no  longer  behind  us,  but 
stop  right  here  and  understand  that  the  world's 
to-morrow  is  the  fruit  of  to-da}^,  and  that  '  the 
world'  is  only  a  way  of  aggregating  a  great 
number  of  you's  and  I's.  Your  to-morrow  and 
my  to-morrow  is  the  fruit  of  our  to-day.  There 
is  nothing  on  earth  to  prevent  our  turning  this 
city  into  ashes  before  another  nightfall,  if  we  — 
the  people  —  will  to  do  it !  But  will  ashes  and 
stones  feed  the  hunger  and  longing  that  is  now 


158  THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON. 

in  our  souls  ?  There  is  nothing  on  earth  or 
in  heaven  to  prevent  our  making  this  city  a 
brighter  and  better  and  more  heaven-like  place 
before  nightfall,  if  we  —  the  people:  you  and  I  — 
will  to  do  it !  What  do  you  say  ?  Shall  it  be 
ashes  ?  You  cry  No !  Then  let  us  try  the  other 
way.  Never  fear  the  result.  Truth  must  pre- 
vail in  the  end.  What  we  now  want  to  do  is  to 
help  it  prevail  at  once. 

"  Do  you  ask  me  how  ?  Are  you  really  filled 
with  a  burning  desire  to  know  how  ?  And  are 
you  willing,  eager,  to  do  your  part  ?  To  each  of 
you,  as  an  individual,  I  now  appeal,  and  ask 
you  to  make  this  promise,  not  to  me,  but  to  your- 
self :  '  I  will  try,  from  this  moment  henceforth, 
to  be  true  and  honest  in  my  every  act,  word, 
and  thought ;  and  this  crystal  button  I  will  wear 
while  the  spirit  of  truth  abides  with  me.' 

"  That  is  the  '  Truth  Promise  '  —  the  begin- 
ning and  the  end  of  the  gospel  I  bring  you.  Do 
you  know  of  any  just  reason  why  you  should  not 
make  this  promise  to  yourself  ?  Is  it  not  worthy 
of  any  man  ?  And  even  if  it  should  not  always 
prove  easy  to  keep  it,  is  it  not  worthy  of  the  best 
efforts  of  your  lives  ?  If  you  think  so,  put  the 
button  in  your  coat,  and  say  the  words  aloud  as 
I  repeat  them  :  '  /  will  try ^  from  this  momeM 
henceforth^  to  he  true  and  honest  in  my  every 
act^  word,  and  thought ;  and  this  crystal  button 


THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON.  159 

I  will  wear  wJiile  the  sjm'it  of  truth  abides 
with  rneJ 

"  But  see,  my  friends,  that  the  button  is 
promptly  removed  whenever  you  are  untrue  to 
it.  It  means  something,  —  it  means  everything  ! 
See  that  you  are  not  false  to  that  meaning  ! 

"  This  beginning  is  easy,  friends,  but  the  hard 
part  is  yet  to  come.  Let  us  now  organize  socie- 
ties throughout  the  land,  for  mutual  help  and 
encouragement.  We  must  not  only  thus  pledge 
ourselves  in  the  most  solemn  manner  to  abstain 
from  all  falsehood  and  deceit,  but  we  must  help 
others  to  do  the  same.  That  will  suffice.  All 
other  virtues  will  thrive,  if  the  soil  is  kept  free 
from  the  weeds  of  untruth  and  hypocrisy." 


CHAPTER   XVIII. 

The  Order  of  the  Crystal  Button. 

"  Such,  in  substance,"  said  tlie  Professor, 
"  were  the  simple  teachings  of  this  latest  of  the 
prophets,  John  Costor.  There  was  nothing  par- 
ticularly new  about  them,  excepting  the  burning 
enthusiasm  with  which  they  were  communicated. 
r  am  sorry  I  cannot  give  you  a  better  idea  of  the 
peculiar  force  of  his  oratory.  I  have  read  you 
only  a  few  disconnected  extracts  from  various 
addresses,  and  I  cannot  but  feel  how  inadequate 
these  are  to  give  you  a  just  conception  of  the 
man  and  of  his  work. 

'^  He  simply  spoke  from  a  full  soul,  and  labored 
with  an  untiring  devotion  only  possible  in  a  truly 
crreat  reformer.  Few  listened  to  him  without 
feeling  that  he  was  inspired.  His  skill  in  trac- 
ing: the  chief  evils  that  beset  mankind  to  sources 
that  his  hearers  could  not  disi3ute  was  marvel- 
ous in  its  logic  and  its  power  to  convince  even 
the  most  cavilous  ;  but  his  success  as  a  public 
speaker  was  due  to  his  profound  convictions  and 
unceasing  work  in  support  of  them,  rather  than 


THE    CRYSTAL    BUTTON.  161 

to  mere  novelty  of  utterance.  '  Preaching,'  he 
once  said,  '  moves  men  as  the  wind  sways  the 
branches  of  forest  trees,  and  its  influence  is  gen- 
erally as  transitory.  The  most  impassioned  ap- 
peals are  soon  forgotten.  What  then  ?  We 
must  organize,  bind  ourselves  individually  by  the 
stoutest  pledges  to  life  action  governed  solely  by 
principles  of  truth  and  justice,  and  then  work 
from  within  outwardlj^'  On  this  basis,  he  pro- 
ceeded to  form,  in  each  city  he  visited,  a  local 
society  of  his  followers,  who  at  the  start  isolated 
themselves  to  some  extent  from  the  rest  of  the 
world.  These  societies  took  strong  root  and 
flourished  mightily.  Their  form  of  organization 
was  extremely  simple,  and  of  a  character  that 
could  challenge  no  man's  prejudices.  '  I  bring 
you  no  new  doctrine,'  he  often  repeated.  '  Think 
what  you  will,  believe  what  you  must,  but  do 
only  that  which  you  know  to  be  right,  and  all 
will  be  well !  '  Of  course,  no  man  could  take 
exceptions  to  such  a  doctrine  as  this. 

"  I  should  add  that  he  always  objected  to  be- 
ing referred  to  as  a  '  labor  reformer,'  although 
he  ranks  foremost  in  the  long  and  honorable  list. 
His  claim  was  that  of  a  moral  teacher,  appealing 
to  society  generally  and  not  to  any  particular 
class,  and  he  purposely  took  no  cognizance  of 
any  special  subjects  of  grievance,  such  as  the  la- 
bor question  then  involved,  it  being  hopelessh^ 


162  THE   CRYSTAL    BUTTON. 

complicated  in  his  day.  He  confined  his  atten- 
tion to  the  sole  purpose  of  establishing  a  pure 
mode  of  living  and  truthful  dealing  between  man 
and  man,  and  expressed  his  entire  confidence 
that  this  of  itself  would  suffice  ultimately  to  set- 
tle the  labor  question  and  all  others  that  were 
vexed,  whatever  their  immediate  cause.  In  this 
expectation  he  was  not  disapjjointed.  The  obser- 
vance of  strict  truth,  honesty,  and  fidelity  re- 
moved all  sources  of  complaint  in  the  field  of  la- 
bor, as  a  fresh  wind  from  the  sea  banishes  mist. 

"  Well,  Mr.  Prognosis,  as  I  have  described 
Costor's  early  course  of  action,  this  may  seem  to 
you  —  it  must  seem  to  you  —  a  humble  and  un- 
23rojnising  start  for  a  reorganization  of  society 
that  was  destined  to  revolutionize  the  world  ;  but 
such  was  the  result.  The  ripe  seed  of  moral  de- 
velopment was  in  his  hand,  and  it  was  winged 
like  that  of  the  mountain  ash.  In  the  general 
whirlwind  of  political  and  social  disturbance 
that  was  then  overturning  creeds,  governments, 
civilizations,  this  watchword  of  *  Truth '  was 
caught  up  as  the  one  idea  that  all  men,  of  what- 
ever nation,  or  language,  or  religion,  could  under- 
stand and  take  seriously  to  heart.  It  was  an  idea 
that  was  far  from  being  inert.  As  events  proved, 
it  was  a  heaven-sent  seed  dropped  on  fallow  soil 
in  that  period  of  universal  anarchy. 

"  Costor  was  peculiarly  energetic  and  skillful 


THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON.  163 

as  an  organizer,  and,  as  soon  as  he  had  assured 
the  success  of  the  movement  in  all  the  principal 
centres  of  thought  in  America,  he  proceeded  to 
Europe,  gathered  preachers  of  every  tongue  and 
representing  every  phase  of  popular  belief,  and 
scattered  them  as  missionaries  throughout  the 
globe.  Never  before  was  a  revival  so  speedy,  so 
thorough,  or  so  lasting.  As  I  have  said,  it  was 
promoted  through  the  instrumentality  of  soci- 
eties, that  is,  by  organization,  which  underlies 
every  form  of  development  in  the  modern  world. 
These  societies,  local  and  small  at  first,  raj^idly 
increased  in  number  and  membership,  giving  a 
nucleus  around  which  clustered  men  and  women 
of  all  shades  of  all  religious  beliefs,  or  lack  of 
all,  and  shedding  beneficent  moral  and  social 
influences  in  every  direction.  The  permanence 
with  which  these  maintained  their  organization 
was  quite  remarkable,  but  it  was  evidently  the 
result  of  the  extreme  simplicity  and  nobility  of 
their  object.  A  single,  solemn  recitation  of  the 
'  Truth  Promise '  and  wearing  of  the  crystal 
button  made  any  person  a  member  of  the  local 
society ;  and  it  was  finally  arranged  that  a  mem- 
ber of  one  was  a  member  of  all.  Almost  with- 
out exception,  such  societies  prospered  and  finally 
came  into  possession  of  abundant  means,  yet  it  is 
not  recorded  that  any  theft  or  defalcation  ever 
occurred  within  the  ranks." 


164  THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON. 

"And  did  the  societies  build  great  churches  ?  " 
"  It  would  hardly  be  correct  to  apply  to  them 
that  name,  in  the  sense  in  which  you  were  accus- 
tomed to  use  it.  I  should  tell  you  that  Costor 
wisely  took  every  possible  means  to  impress  the 
public  with  the  fact  that  his  order  was  not  a  re- 
ligious organization." 

"  Was  he,  then,  prejudiced  against  religion  ?  " 
'*  Not  at  all.  But  he  explained  that  the  pre- 
judices existing  between  religious  organizations 
were  so  frequent  and  so  strong  that  it  seemed 
wise  to  avoid  all  complication  with  religious 
questions.  '  It  is  better  to  have  it  clearly  under- 
stood at  the  start,'  he  once  stated,  'that  the  aim 
of  this  Order  of  the  Crystal  Button  is  to  promote 
the  well-being  of  its  members  only  so  far  as  this 
life  is  concerned.  It  does  not  conflict  with  any 
religious  organization,  but  it  is  hoped  that  all 
members  of  all  churches  will  feel  drawn  to  en- 
roll themselves  with  us.  If  they  do  not,  the 
fault  will  lie  with  our  own  members,  in  not  mak- 
ing the  purpose  of  our  order  understood.  Its 
sole  object  is  to  encourage  the  development  of 
truer,  nobler,  and  happier  life.'  " 

''  What,  then,  was  the  character  of  the  build- 
ings erected  in  the  place  of  churches  ?  " 

"  They  are  more  properly  club-houses,  which 
are  kept  open  both  night  and  day,  and  devoted 
to   all  purposes  that  mean   education  or  social 


THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON.  105 

amusement.  The  auditorium  or  lecture-hall  is 
merely  an  incident.  Millions  of  money  have  been 
devoted  to  such  club-houses,  and  also  to  schools, 
hospitals,  and  all  other  agencies  that  promise 
to  ease  or  better  the  condition  of  mankind. 

"The  moral  effects  of  a  strict  adherence  to 
the  new  rule  of  life  were  such  that  intercourse 
between  members  became  very  attractive,  and 
an  era  of  good  fellowship  began  to  dawn  which 
added  much  to  the  enjoyments  of  life.  In  the 
course  of  time,  it  therefore  came  about  that 
many  sought  admission  by  reason  merely  of  the 
social  attractiveness  of  the  organization ;  while 
to  be  received  into  full  membership  was  re- 
garded as  one  of  the  highest  social  honors. 
When  this  stage  was  reached,  the  final  success 
of  Costor's  effort  was  no  longer  problematical." 

"  But  tell  me,  Profesiior,  —  am  I  to  under- 
stand that  the  work  of  rehumanizinsf  mankind 
kept  pace  with  this  wovk  of  reorganizing  soci- 
ety ?  In  the  efforts  made  in  my  time  to  better 
the  condition  of  mankmd,  it  was  man  himself 
who  proved  the  stumbling-block.  Too  often  he 
did  not  wish  to  be  helped,  —  he  would  n't  be 
helped !  " 

"  Very  true.  Costor  met  the  same  difficulty, 
and  it  was  by  no  means  overcome  in  his  day. 
But  he  was  not  discouraged  by  that.  He  used  to 
say :  '  If  we  are  sure  we  are  on  the  right  path, 


16u  THE    CliYlSTAL   BUTTON. 

we  fulfill  our  duty  by  keeping  to  it  and  drawing 
others  to  it.  The  longer  and  the  rougher  the 
path,  the  greater  need  of  making  tlie  best  possi- 
ble speed,  and  the  greater  the  glory  in  finally 
attaininsf  the  ffoal.  Let  us  each  do  his  best  to- 
day,  and  have  faith  in  to-morrow.'  As  a  matter 
of  fact,  the  world  mounted  slowly  to  the  plane 
it  now  occupies.  Generations  passed,  centuries 
passed,  while  the  work  slowly  progressed.  But 
the  progress  was  steady.  As  you  have  sug- 
gested, humanity  often  proved  itself  weak  and 
wayward.  But  Costor  had  expected  that.  It 
is  recorded  that  he  once  expressed  himself  as 
follows :  — 

"  '  Humanity  —  it  is  its  own  worse  enemy  !  In 
the  process  of  impro\ijng  plants  and  the  lower 
animals,  we  have  unresisting  materials  to  work 
upon,  and  results  can  be  calculated  with  some 
confidence.  The  production  of  well-formed 
heads  and  delicate  features  in  men  descended 
from  ancestors  of  the  lowest  moral  condition  is 
of  necessity  a  work  of  many  generations.  It  is 
true  that  an  individual  with  the  head  and  neck 
of  a  savage  may,  by  education,  acquire  the  man- 
ners and  address  of  a  person  of  real  culture  and 
refinement.  Even  then,  tread  on  his  toes,  and, 
before  he  can  restrain  himself,  up  leaps  the  sav- 
age, with  the  tiger  look  in  his  eyes !  In  re- 
humanizing  degraded  humanity,  the  head  must 


TlIK   CRYSTAL   BUTTON.  167 

be  enlarged  at  certain  points,  the  neck  reduced, 
the  nose  straightened,  the  cheekbones  and  jaws 
remodeled.  To  do  all  this  must  require  centu- 
ries, even  if  a  single  subject,  perfectly  passive, 
could  be  freely  experimented  on  throughout 
that  period.  What,  then,  is  to  be  done  with  sub- 
jects short-lived  and  selfishly  inclined,  biased  by 
superstition,  perverted,  brutalized,  even  to  the 
point  that  truth  is  no  longer  recognized  as 
good.' 

"  Costor,  you  see,  well  understood  all  that. 
Yet  he  was  never  discouraged,  but  he  pressed 
on  bravely  with  his  work,  always  progressing, 
even  when  the  movement  was  not  apparent. 
The  roots  of  truth,  once  implanted,  showed  a 
tenacity  that  even  untruth  never  had  ;  and,  un- 
der the  fostering  care  of  the  '  Crystal  Buttons,* 
as  members  of  the  new  guild  were  called,  the 
weeds  of  society  were  gradually  crowded  out. 
Costor  lived  to  see  the  work  of  reformation  well 
begun ;  and  his  numerous  disciples  afterward 
developed  many  wise  means  of  perfecting  its 
organization  and  spreading  its  growth.  From 
small  beginnings  it  steadily  grew  into  a  healthy 
tree,  whose  branches  promised  to  bear  fruit  that 
should  nourish  the  world." 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

The  New  C'milization, 

*'  The  centuries  rolled  on^"  continued  the  Pro- 
fessor, ''  and  the  activities  of  the  Crystal  Button 
societies  continued  to  enter  into  the  warp  and 
woof  of  political  as  well  as  social  life,  and  give 
a  brighter  aspect  to  all.  The  well-disposed  por- 
tions of  society  throughout  the  world  finally  ac- 
cepted the  new  rule  and  lived  up  to  its  teach- 
ings with  more  or  less  fidelity. 

"  And  now,  Mr.  Prognosis,  we  come  down  to 
the  time  when  the  crowning  glory  of  the  new 
order  of  things  is  at  hand,  —  the  accomplish- 
ment of  permanent  and  universal  peace  among 
men.  Naturally  enough,  the  initial  movement 
in  this  direction  came  from  the  Costorians, 
whose  clear-sighted  leader  had  long  before  pre- 
dicted this  as  an  outcome  of  the  principles  he 
taught,  when  they  should  be  sufficiently  de- 
veloped. Indeed,  he  had  constantly  urged  his 
followers,  and  especially  his  teachers,  to  work 
steadily  toward  this  end. 

"  When,  in  the   judgment  of   the  leaders  of 


THE    CRYSTAL   BUTTON.  169 

the  order,  a  suitable  opportunity  offered,  they 
issued  a  call  for  a  council  of  all  nations  to  be 
held  in  the  interests  of  peace.  Such  had  be- 
come the  influence  of  the  allied  societies,  and 
such  was  their  world-wide  distribution,  that  this 
call  met  with  a  prompt  and  favorable  response 
from  every  nation  addressed,  most  of  which 
were  democracies,  and  having  Costorians  of 
high-standing  in  nearly  all  positions  of  trust. 
The  council  assembled  at  the  great  city  of 
Carrefour,  located  on  the  isthmus  midway  be- 
tween the  two  Americas,  whither  the  fleets  and 
railways  found  easy  access  from  all  parts  of  the 
globe.  Perfect  harmony  attended  the  sessions 
of  this  remarkable  congress  ;  and,  before  the 
sittings  were  ended,  a  plan  was  adopted  and 
signed  by  every  representative  present,  which 
promised,  and  in  fact  accomplished,  the  total  ex- 
tinction of  warfare  between  nations.  This  en- 
actment was  afterward  approved  by  every  gov- 
ernment, and  even  some  of  the  savage  tribes 
gave  their  hands  to  the  solemn  compact.  An 
international  police  was  maintained  for  some 
years  to  check  any  lawless  tribes  that  might  fail 
to  keep  their  pledges,  but  the  event  proved  that 
even  these  were  unnecessary,  as  the  disturbances 
of  the  peace  that  occurred  subsequent  to  the  ac- 
tion of  the  congress  were  few,  and  easily  quelled 
by  local  authorities.    A  Court  of  Arbitration  for 


170        TUE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

each  of  the  grand  divisions  of  the  world  was 
shortly  afterward  established,  for  the  purpose  of 
deciding  any  disputed  questions  presented  at 
their  annual  sittings ;  while  those  of  interna- 
tional character  were  referred  by  such  courts  to 
the  Grand  Council  of  All  Nations,  whose  deci- 
sions were  final.  Ample  opportunity  for  discus- 
sion was  thus  allowed,  but  none  for  controvers3^ 

"  Peace  at  last !  The  new  era  had  dawned  ! 
Those  who  have  experienced  the  cheer  that  fol- 
lows reconciliation  after  long  estrangement  from 
former  friends,  when  mutual  trust  and  cordiality 
once  more  take  the  place  of  cold  reserve  and 
jealous  watchfulness,  will  understand  the  out- 
burst of  unspeakable  joy  that  resounded  through- 
out the  world  as  the  glad  tidings  were  flashed 
over  the  wires  that  the  great  act,  so  long  hoped 
for,  had  finally  been  consummated.  Through 
the  successive  ages  of  stone,  iron,  bronze,  and 
silver,  civilization  had  finally  passed  to  the  at- 
tainment of  its  crystal  age  of  Truth. 

''  Thus  it  was  that  the  Crystal  Button  con- 
quered the  world.  Thus  it  was  that,  from  the 
ashes  of  thrones  and  false  altars  which  had  been 
cast  down,  arose  a  single  pillar  of  crystal,  to 
which  all  nations  looked  up  with  fresh  hope. 
The  hope  was  not  disappointed.  It  rejuvenated 
the  human  race." 

"  This,  then,"  said  Paul,  "  is  the  keystone  of 
your  present  blessed  civilization." 


TEE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON.  171 

"  Keystone,  arch,  foundations,  —  all !  The 
time  for  the  moral  reformation  had  come,  and 
'  Truth '  was  its  watchword.  Art  had  given  the 
world  all  the  instruction  it  had  in  its  keeping  : 
truth  in  the  representation  of  outward  nature, 
which  means  beauty.  Science  had  taught  its 
lesson  :  truth  in  the  understanding  of  nature's 
methods.     But  moral  truth  was  still  lacking*. 

"  You  see,  Mr.  Prognosis,  we  are  now  accus- 
tomed to  divide  historv  into  three  distinct  stagfes 
of  development.  The  earlier  civilizations  we 
call  '  the  first '  and  '  the  second,'  and  our  own 
'  the  modern.'  The  first  and  second  were  sec- 
tional and  partial,  and  they  were  not  sufficiently 
grounded  on  fixed  principles  to  maintain  a  con- 
tinuous existence  ;  while  ours  is  complete  and 
universal,  —  or  rather,  I  should  say,  it  is  des- 
tined to  be.  It  has  placed  the  human  race  on 
the  direct  road  to  its  highest  development,  and 
is  based  rather  on  moral  than  intellectual  quali- 
ties. 

''  The  achievements  of  former  ages  may  be 
briefly  classed  as  follows  :  the  first  civilization 
developed  art,  architecture,  and  literature ;  the 
second,  music,  mechanism,  and  science ;  and  the 
modern,  peace,  social  order,  and  permanent 
government.  As  you  study  further,  you  will 
not  fail  to  see  that  we  are  rich  in  inheritance 
from  the  great  minds  of  the  past,  to  which  we 


172  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

have  added  the  remarkable  moral  progress  that 
has  resulted  from  the  reformation  first  started 
by  John  Costor.  It  was  moral  tone  that  you 
chiefly  lacked  in  the  nineteenth  and  twentieth 
centuries.  It  was  the  general  want  of  truth, 
not  only  in  act,  but  in  thought  and  sentiment, 
that  lay  at  the  bottom  of  your  every  form  of  in- 
dividual and  social  and  political  vice.  At  least, 
so  it  seems  to  us  now,  as  we  calmly  review  the 
past." 

"  I  cannot  say  nay." 

"But  now,  Mr.  Prognosis,  let  us  to  breakfast, 
after  which  Marco  will  be  your  companion  for 
the  day  ;  and  then  this  evening  we  can  renew 
our  conversation." 

"  May  I  suggest  the  subject  of  that  next  con- 
versation ?  " 

"  Certainly." 

"  Your  form  of  government  is  what  would 
most  interest  me." 

"  That,  then,  shall  be  our  evening's  text." 


PART  IV. 

A  DAY'S  RAMBLE  WITH  MARCO   MORTIMER. 


CHAPTER   XX. 

The  Standard  Pendulum, 

The  Professor  led  the  way  through  a  corridor 
to  the  breakfast-room,  -flooded  with  sunshine, 
where  he  introduced  his  guest  to  the  already  as- 
sembled family,  saying  :  "  This  is  my  new  and 
remarkable  friend,  Mr.  Prognosis,  whom  you  al- 
ready know  something  about.  We  must  try  and 
make  him  feel  as  much  at  home  as  circumstances 
will  permit.  I  take  pleasure  in  introducing  Mr. 
Prognosis  —  my  wife.  Madam  Prosper  ;  my 
daughter,  Helen;  and  her  school  friend.  Miss 
Eldom.  And  here  comes  the  prospective  new 
member  of  our  family,  Marco,  whom  you  have 
already  met,  who  is  to  do  the  honors  to-day." 

Paul  felt  that  he  took  his  seat  a  little  awk- 
wardly, but  this  feeling  soon  vanished  in  the 
presence  of  an  ease  and  sociability  that  won  his 
heart.     Madam  Prosper  was  one  of  those  moth- 


174  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

erly  old  ladies  who  immediately  give  a  halo  of 
home  to  any  room  in  which  their  armchairs  are 
located  ;  and  the  young  ladies  chatted  with  him 
with  a  gentle  yet  perfectly  sustained  manner, 
that  relieved  him  of  all  feeling  of  conversational 
responsibility. 

No  allusion  whatever  was  made  to  Paul's  sin- 
gular past,  bat  the  subjects  talked  of  were  con- 
fined to  the  scenes  of  his  yesterday's  walk  with 
the  Professor,  and  to  a  variety  of  topics  of  cur- 
rent interest,  including  duties  that  the  young 
ladies  had  planned  for  the  day. 

*'  I  fear,"  said  Paul,  "  that  I  am  seriously 
interfering  with  these  plans  by  capturing  Mr. 
Mortimer  so  unceremoniously." 

"  Not  at  all,"  answered  Miss  Helen.  "  Marco 
has  so  many  engagements  that  we  no  longer 
count  upon  him  as  our  conductor  by  day ;  but 
we  hope  to  have  him  with  us  in  the  evening,  and 
to  have  you,  too,  Mr.  Prognosis." 

At  the  close  of  the  meal,  Paul  felt  as  much  at 
ease  with  each  member  of  the  delightful  house- 
hold as  if  he  had  been  acquainted  with  them  for 
years. 

After  brief  parting  salutations,  and  many  in- 
junctions to  be  sure  and  return  promptly  in  time 
for  six-o'clock  dinner,  he  and  Marco  proceeded 
to  the  thronged  streets,  on  their  way  to  view  the 
standard  pendulum  of  which  the  Professor  had 
spoken  on  the  previous  evening. 


THE  CRYSTAL  BUTTON.  175 

On  entering  the  Hall  of  Sciences,  Marco  pre- 
sented a  letter  from  the  Professor,  which  2"ave 
them  immediate  entrance  to  what  was  known  as 
the  "  Pendulum  Chamber,"  located  in  the  base- 
ment of  the  building.  Paul  noticed  that  the 
walls  of  the  chamber  were  composed  of  solid 
stone  blocks  of  enormous  thickness,  and  the  room 
was  quite  dark  until  the  attendant  illuminated 
it  by  a  glare  of  electric  light,  when,  suddenly, 
the  elaborate  appliances  of  the  great  instrument 
stood  revealed  before  him. 

Without  speaking  for  several  moments,  the 
two  men  watched  the  measured  vibrations  of  the 
great  pendulum  as  it  swung  between  its  heavy 
piers  of  polished  stone,  slowly  telling  its  beads 
to  the  time  of  double  seconds.  There  was  a 
strange  kind  of  solemnity  in  the  silence  and  regu- 
larity of  its  movements.  It  was  as  if  the  finoer 
of  Time  itself  were  counting  the  heartbeats  of 
one  whose  hours  were  few  and  the  minute  of  de- 
parture inexorably  fixed.  The  only  sound  was 
a  slight  but  distinct  click  at  the  completion  of 
each  stroke. 

'•'  We  are  indebted,"  said  Marco,  in  a  half- 
whisper,  "  to  the  scientists  of  old  France  for  the 
theory  on  which  several  of  our  modern  appli- 
ances are  based.  Their  invention  of  the  metric 
system  of  weights  and  measures  is  the  founda- 
tion on  which  the  value  of  this  fine  instrument 


176  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

depends.  We  still  possess  the  originals  o£  their 
standards  of  measurement,  including  those  com- 
posed of  the  various  metals  and  metallic  alloys, 
as  well  as  of  glass.  Those  painstaking  French- 
men gave  us  not  only  their  accurate  standards, 
but  also  the  exact  length  of  the  pendulum  that 
in  their  time  beat  seconds.  Thanks  to  them, 
therefore,  we  are  to-day  able  to  make  compari- 
sons that  are  of  great  interest. 

"  Let  me  first  show  you  the  construction  of 
the  pendulum,  and  we  will  afterward  go  into  the 
computing-room,  where  the  professor  in  charge 
will  tell  us  some  of  the  lessons  it  has  already 
taught. 

"You  will  observe  that  these  piers,  and  the 
base  on  which  they  stand,  are  all  cut  from  a  sin- 
gle block  of  stone  and  in  a  single  mass,  while 
the  foundation  below  is  also  solid  rock.  You  see, 
here,  that  the  tops  of  the  piers,  which  are  close 
together,  have,  for  bearings  for  the  cross-head  of 
the  pendulum,  two  large  flat  jewels.  These  bear- 
insrs  are  diamonds.  Restino-  on  these  are  the 
knife-edges  of  the  cross-head,  which  are  also 
made  of  thin  slices  of  the  same  gem. 

"  On  the  top  of  the  cross-head  is  this  elaborate 
micrometer  regulator,  which  lengthens  or  short- 
ens the  pendulum.  This  appliance  indicates  ac- 
curately the  one-ten-thousandth  fraction  of  a 
millimetre  of  movement. 


THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON.  177 

"  Now  look  beneatli.  Here  tlie  lower  end  of 
the  pendulum-bar  swings  wevy  close  to  this  stud 
of  platinum,  which  is  deeply  imbedded  in  the 
stone.  At  the  present  time,  the  distance  between 
the  pendulum-bar  and  the  stud  is  a  fraction  less 
than  a  millimetre.  Here  is  an  electric  lamp,  so 
arranged  that,  as  the  pendulum  swings  past  the 
stud,  an  instantaneous  flash  is  made  to  pass  be- 
tween the  two  points,  and  thence  through  a  len- 
ticular glass,  which  greatly  enlarges  the  beam  of 
light  in  one  direction,  so  that  a  very  slight  vari- 
ation of  length  can  be  detected  in  the  enlarged 
band  of  light,  which  can  then  be  accurately 
measured. 

"  The  great  clock  that  is  operated  by  this  pen- 
dulum runs  so  nearly  to  the  true  time  that  the 
variation  in  the  course  of  an  entire  year  is  only 
a  small  fraction  of  a  beat.  Human  skill  can  go 
no  further  in  this  direction." 

"  But  the  influence  of  varying  temperature  ?  " 
said  Paul  questioningiy. 

"  Of  course,  a  perfectly  even  temperature 
must  be  maintained.  To  secure  this,  the  room 
is  inclosed  by  the  three  massive  walls  through 
which  we  entered  by  closely  fitting  doors  ;  and 
the  normal  temperature  is  70°  Fahrenheit,  so 
that  the  presence  of  observers  does  not  tend 
to  change  it.  The  heating  apparatus  is  out- 
side, and  the  entire  mass  of  stone   is  kept  at  a 


178  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

perfectly  uniform  temperature  throughout.  You 
will  readily  understaud,  Mr.  Prognosis,  that  it 
required  many  days  for  these  massive  walls  to 
become  once  warmed  through,  and  you  will  also 
understand  with  what  tenacity  they  hold  the 
heat,  once  absorbed. 

"  The  distance  from  the  stud  of  platinum  to 
the  diamond  bearings  is  absolutely  unchanging, 
delicate  measurements  having  frequently  been 
made  without  detecting  the  slightest  variation. 
Thus  the  length  of  the  pendulum  beating  double- 
seconds  is  always  known  by  simple  inspection 
with  the  beam  of  light." 

"You  seem  to  be  quite  familiar  with  this 
wonderful  piece  of  mechanism,"  said  Paul. 

"  Yes,  I  have  often  visited  here  with  Professor 
Prosper." 

"  May  I  ask  in  what  special  work  you  are 
engaged  ?  " 

"  I  have  not  yet  finished  my  studies  in  the 
Government  schools,  but  I  hope  to  become  a 
civil  engineer,  if  I  succeed  in  passing  the  exam- 
inations." 

"  If  you  fail,  what  then  ?" 

"  The  Board  of  Examiners  finally  determines 
to  what  field  of  labor  each  Government  pupil  is 
best  adapted." 

"  And  is  there  no  appeal  from  their  deci- 
sion?" 


THE    CRYSTAL  BUTTON.  179 

"There  is  no  need  of  that,  for  they  are  far 
better  able  to  judge  of  the  comparative  capabili- 
ties of  men  than  the  men  themselves  are.  Their 
duty  is  to  see  that  every  pupil  who  places  him- 
self at  their  disposal  is  put  in  the  right  place." 

"And  you  will  be  satisfied  witli  their  judg- 
ment?" 

"  It  would  be  foolish  for  me  to  feel  otherwise. 
They  will  know,  not  only  what  my  capacities  are, 
but  what  field  is  open  for  me.  When  my  work- 
ing age  arrives,  they  will  see  that  I  am  put  to 
work  without  the  loss  of  a  day." 

"  I  shall  be  interested  to  know  more  about 
this." 

"I  will  tell  you  with  pleasure.  But  now,  if 
you  will  please  to  follow  me,  we  will  make  a 
short  call  on  the  professor  who  observes  and  re- 
cords the  movements  of  the  pendulum." 

"  I  think  it  was  mentioned,  at  the  meeting  I 
attended  last  evening,  that  he  would  soon  read 
a  paper  on  the  subject  before  the  Society." 

"Very  likely.  He  is  no  doubt  deep  in  his 
figures  by  this  hour." 

They  emei'ged  from  a  dark  passage  by  which 
they  had  entered,  and  ascended  to  the  comput- 
ing-room on  the  ground  floor.  Here  Paul  was 
introduced  to  the  elderly  gentleman  in  charge, 
who  received  him  with  a  somewhat  absorbed 
manner,  but  presently  explained  the  contents  of 


180  THE  CRYSTAL  BUTTON. 

the  room  and  the  nature  of  his  duties.  Unfor- 
tunately, his  language  was  so  technical  that  Paul 
could  comprehend  very  little,  yet  he  gathered 
enough  to  understand  that  the  retardation  of  the 
earth's  axial  motion  was  a  familiar  subject.  He 
also  learned  that  the  present  length  of  the  pen- 
dulum was  appreciably  longer  than  it  was  at  the 
time  when  the  French  standards  were  made, 
and  that  computations,  recently  completed,  con- 
firmed in  a  remarkable  manner  the  deductions 
of  an  astronomer  who  had  arrived  at  substan- 
tially the  same  results  by  an  entirely  different 
method.  The  professor  showed  his  visitor  nu- 
merous thick  volumes  filled  with  solid  mechan- 
ical work,  the  results  of  several  years  of  labor ; 
but  Paul  was  none  the  wiser  for  anything  he 
could  learn  from  them.  Feeling  himself  decid- 
edly out  of  his  element  in  the  presence  of  his 
kind  host,  he  took  the  first  opportunity  to  ten- 
der his  thanks  and  withdraw. 

"  I  'm  afraid,"  said  Marco  smilingly,  as  they 
regained  the  street,  "  that  you  have  been  more 
impressed  than  edified." 

"  I  confess  it ;  but  the  fault  is  mine.  There 
must  be  give  and  take  to  make  conversation 
worthy  of  the  name,  and  I  was  unable  to  give. 
But  the  pendulum,  —  I  shall  always  be  thank- 
ful to  you  for  showing  me  that." 


CHAPTER   XXL 

The  Air-Ship. 

"  If  you  will  allow  me,  Mr.  Prognosis,  I  will 
now  offer  for  your  approval  the  clay's  pro- 
gramme that  Professor  Prosper  suggested  to  me. 
It  includes  visits  to  the  Central  Observatory, 
Transcontinental  Railway,  and  Mount  Energy. 
Do  you  find  this  programme  attractive  ?  " 

"  Decidedly  so." 

"  I  will  suggest  that  we  take  them  in  the 
order  named  ;  and,  as  the  Observatory  is  sev- 
eral miles  out  of  town,  this  will  give  you  an  op- 
portunity to  test  one  of  our  air-ships,  or  aerial 
cars." 

"An  air-ship  ?  Well  I  wherever  Miss  Helen 
is  willing  to  trust  you,  I  'm  sure  I  can  safely 
follow." 

"  The  station  is  within  this  inclosure,  and  I 
see  by  the  bulletin  that  the  Observatory  car  is 
just  ready  to  start.  Here  we  are  between  its 
vast  wings  !  And  now  we  are  rising  !  Does  it 
make  you  feel  at  all  uncomfortable  ?  " 


182  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

"  No  more  so  than  if  I  were  aboard  a  passen- 
ger elevator  in  a  building." 

*'  There,  now  we  have  the  proper  elevation, 
and  are  taking  our  course.  What  do  you  say- 
to  this  as  a  comfortable  mode  of  travel  ?  " 

"It  seems  like  a  dream.  In  my  dreams  I 
seem  to  have  been  in  this  car  before,  and  to 
have  flown  in  it  to  the  ends  of  the  earth.  Pray 
tell  me  how  long  such  machines  have  been  in 
successful  use  ?  " 

''Oh,  for  centuries;  but  the  task  of  so  per- 
fecting them  that  they  should  not  be  attended 
by  danger  was  long  and  often  discouraging." 

"  I  know  something  about  the  difficulties  of 
the  problem.  We  tried  many  methods  in  my 
day,  but  they  were  dismal  failures.  We  at  last 
came  to  look  upon  aeronauts  as  dreamers,  and 
upon  flying-machines  as  simply  toys.  At  the 
same  time,  one  had  only  to  watch  the  flight  of  a 
seagull  to  feel  that  here  was  a  mode  of  motion 
that  put  all  others  to  shame." 

"  It  was  the  theory  thereby  suggested  that 
helped  retard  the  development  of  a  practicable 
machine.  It  must  have  been  soon  after  your 
day  when  there  appeared  an  inventor  who  very 
confidently  went  to  work  on  that  basis.  Said 
he:  'If  a  seagull,  of  such  and  such  weight, 
and  such  and  such  length  of  wing  and  tail,  and 
such  motive  power,  can  sail  in  the  teeth  of  a 


THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON.  183 

northeaster,  I  see  no  reason  why  I  cannot  con- 
struct a  mechanical  bird  that  will  at  least  be 
able  to  swim  the  aerial  sea  and  direct  its  course 
in  lines  nearly  parallel  with  the  course  of  the 
wind.  I  propose  to  do  just  that ;  and  if  I  suc- 
ceed, then  I  think  I  can  do  more.'  Model  after 
model,  of  the  most  ingenious  description,  pro- 
ceeded from  his  fertile  brain  and  hand.  The 
theory  seemed  all  right.  Did  not  the  gulls  vis- 
ibly demonstrate  that?  But  here  was  an  in- 
stance where  practice  permanently  declined  to 
obey  the  rein  of  theory.  The  wood-and-iron 
bird  refused  to  cousin  with  the  flesh-and-blood 
seagull.  While  there  appeared  every  possible 
I'eason  why  it  ought  to  work,  it  simply  would  n't, 
and  there  was  an  end  of  it !  " 

"  The  defect,  I  imagine,  was  a  simple  one,  — 
lack  of  a  nervous  system." 

"  Very  possibly.  Well,  then  followed  a  plain 
mechanic,  without  any  theory  at  all,  beyond 
this :  '  To  get  horse-power,  I  don't  need  to 
build  the  model  of  a  horse ;  and  to  get  wing- 
power,  I  have  no  use  for  a  feathered  bird.  I 
just  want  an  every-day  sort  of  machine.  To 
make  it  swim  in  the  air  is  easy  enough.  How 
to  steer  it  is  the  puzzle,  and  I  propose  to  solve 
that.'  With  little  talk,  but  years  of  hard  work, 
he  finally  completed  a  rather  clumsy  and  com- 
plicated model  that  attracted  little  attention  be- 


184         THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

yond  jibes,  —  when,  lo  and  behold!  it  worked! 
That  model,  gradually  simplified  and  perfected 
in  its  details,  was  the  prototype  of  the  beautiful 
little  machine  we  now  occupy." 

"  May  I  ask  you  to  please  explain  its  princi- 
ples and  its  j^arts  ?  " 

"  The  main  portion,  as  you  see,  consists  of  a 
horizontal  canvas  web,  stretched  tightly  over  a 
light  circular  framework ;  and  through  the  cen- 
tre of  this  passes  a  bamboo  mast,  extending 
both  above  and  below  the  web.  This  affords 
ample  means  for  securing  numerous  wire  stays 
from  various  parts  of  the  framework  to  both  the 
upper  and  lower  extremities  of  the  mast.  The 
car  we  occupy,  please  observe,  is  attached  to 
the  lower  end  of  the  mast,  and  in  this  are  car- 
ried the  engines,  propelling  machinery,  and  pas- 
sengers or  freight." 

"  What  kind  of  a  propelling  device  is  em- 
ployed?" 

"  It  consists  of  a  pair  of  shafts  running  diag- 
onally up  through  the  canvas  and  rotating  in 
opposite  directions,  each  shaft  being  supplied 
with  a  propelling  fan  on  either  end.  The  rud- 
der then  completes  the  machine." 

"  And  what  motive  power  is  used?" 

"  A  pair  of  light  engines  driven  by  explosives 
in  little  cartridges.  Nothing  could  be  prettier 
than  the  working  of  these  engines,  which  arp 


TilE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON.  185 

hardly  larger  than  toys;  and  the  cartridges 
themselves  are  so  light  that  fuel  sufficient  for  an 
ordinary  two  or  three  days'  flight  can  be  easily 
carried.  I  'm  sorry  I  cannot  invite  you  to  look 
in  upon  the  engineer,  but  it  is  strictly  against 
the  rules." 

"  I  can  easily  understand  that  he  must  have 
his  hands  full.  What  rate  of  speed  is  at- 
tained ?  " 

"  It  is  by  no  means  regular,  but  is  largely  de- 
pendent on  the  course  and  power  of  the  wind. 
From  twenty-five  to  forty  miles  an  hour  is  a 
common  rate;  but  the  flight  across  the  conti- 
nent has  been  made  in  less  than  five  days." 

"  Are  such  air-ships  also  used  in  crossing  the 
ocean  r 

''  No,  that  proved  too  dangerous.     Several  fa-  U 
tal   accidents  made  a  sad  end   to  that  experi-  ^ 
ment." 

"Are  machines  of  great  size  used?" 

"  All  the  passenger  ships  are  small,  as  these 
are  found  more  manageable  ;  and  they  are  sel- 
dom used  for  freight.  The  one  we  now  occupy 
is  a  fair  sample.  But  here  we  are  at  our  jour- 
ney's end,  —  eight  miles  in  twenty  minutes." 

"  And  I  do  not  feel  as  if  I  had  made  a  jour- 
ney at   all.     Is   travel   by  these  air-ships   also 

free?" 

"  Free  ?     Yes  ;  everything  that  is  recognized 


186  Tin:  crystal  button. 

as  a  convenience  for  the  general  public  is  per- 
fectly free." 

"  Cheap  enough  !  I  have  always  wished  to 
visit  southern  California.  Now  is  evidently  my 
opportunity." 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

Meridian  Peak  Observatory. 

"What  a  beautiful  pleasure-ground!"  ex- 
claimed Paul,  as  he  left  the  aerial  station, 

"  This  is  one  of  our  many  public  parks,  and 
in  the  centre  of  it  is  the  object  of  our  visit, 
Meridian  Peak  Observatory.  The  peak  is  not 
a  lofty  one,  but  it  has  a  fine  atmos]3here,  and 
is  a  favorite  summer  resort." 

With  astonished  eyes,  Paul  gazed  on  the  huge 
structure  before  him.  So  far  as  he  could  see,  the 
exterior  of  the  Observatory  consisted  of  a  single 
great  dome,  or  hemisphere,  to  the  north  side 
of  which  was  a  stone  tower.  He  estimated  the 
tower  to  be  about  fifty  feet  in  diameter  and  at 
least  a  hundred  feet  high.  Protruding  from  the 
dome,  at  an  angle  of  forty-five  degrees,  was  an 
immense  shaft,  strengthened  by  innumerable 
radiating  stays  ;  and  this  shaft  rested  on  the  top 
of  the  tower.  Paul  silently  regarded  this  last 
feature  for  a  moment,  and  then  said  to  Marco 
with  some  excitement,  "  That  shaft  must  be 
parallel  with  the  earth's  axis." 


188  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

"  You  have  grasped  the  idea  exactly." 

"  But  how  can  this  great  structure  have  a 
proper  motion  around  this  axis  ?  " 

"  It  is  but  partial,"  said  Marco,  smiling  at 
Paul's  quickness  of  perception,  *'  but  sufficient 
for  all  practical  purposes.  Let  us  go  into  the 
office,  and  there  we  shall  find  drawings  that 
will  explain  the  general  plan  of  the  works  with 
very  little  study." 

Paul  followed  Marco  into  a  small  side  build- 
ing, where  Professor  Prosper's  name  gave  them 
ready  admission,  and  where  they  stopped  to  ex- 
amine the  diagrams  on  the  walls. 

"  Here,"  said  Marco,  "  is  the  vertical  section. 
This  upper  hemisphere,  you  see,  has  a  corre- 
sponding lower  half,  and  both  together  form  a 
perfect  sphere.  The  lower  half  is  the  main 
structure.  It  is  really  a  great  hemispherical 
vessel,  and  floats  in  a  basin  just  large  enough 
to  receive  it.  This  cuplike  hull  is  made  very 
strong,  and  its  deck  is  the  floor  of  the  observa- 
tory. 

"  Here  you  see  the  axial  shaft,  the  upper  end 
resting  on  the  pier,  while  the  lower  bearing  or 
pivot  is  down  here  in  the  basin,  corresponding 
to  the  one  on  top  of  the  pier. 

"  Here  is  a  drawing  which  shows,  on  either 
side  of  the  hull,  as  we  will  call  it,  a  heavy 
toothed  rack,  which  runs  diagonally  down   the 


THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON.  189 

Side,  and  is  at  right  angles  with  the  axis.  Each 
of  these  racks  engages  with  a  pinion  which  is  a 
part  of  a  train  of  wheels,  moved  by  an  engine. 
Thus,  you  see,  the  hull  is  capable  of  being 
screwed  up  one  side  and  down  the  other  on  this 
diagonal  pivot,  thereby  tilting  it  in  either  direc- 
tion twenty-two  and  a  half  degrees,  or  forty-five 
degrees  in  all.  In  this  way,  all  the  instruments 
on  this  floor  are  made  to  follow  the  stars  with 
perfect  accuracy  for  six  consecutive  hours. 

"  The  engines  which  keep  up  the  motion  have 
their  valves  actuated  by  an  independent  electri- 
cal engine,  which,  in  turn,  has  a  clock  regulator. 
When  engaged  in  planetary  or  cometary  obser- 
vation, different  clocks  are  connected,  which 
chano:e  the  rate  of  motion  as  desired." 

'•'•  Every  requisite  seems  complied  with,"  said 

Paul. 

"  Yes.  And  now  I  wish  to  show  you  how 
firmly  all  this  is  put  together.  You  understand, 
of  course,  that  it  is  really  a  vast  ball  floating  in 
water.  Well,  the  deck  or  floor  is  so  well  braced 
and  so  thick  that  it  is  practically  inflexible. 
The  roof  is  also  strongly  made,  with  heavy  iron 
ribs,  and  the  covering  is  so  arranged  with  sliding 
plates  that  openings  can  be  made  at  any  point 
or  any  number  of  points,  as  may  be  required  by 
observers." 

Paul  expressed  himself  as  greatly  interested 


190  THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON. 

by  the  novelty  and  completeness  of  the  arrange- 
ment. ''  But,"  he  observed,  "  it  must  have  been 
enormously  expensive,  and  I  should  think  that  a 
much  simpler  method  of  mounting  single  instru- 
ments would  have  been  preferable.  Of  course, 
too,  your  transit  circles  cannot  be  used  here." 

"  That  is  true,"  said  Marco.  "  Our  transit  in- 
struments are  in  another  building  on  the  other 
side  of  the  great  dome ;  but  you  will  readily  un- 
derstand why  such  outlay  was  thought  desirable 
when  you  see  the  great  reflector.  All  you  have 
examined  thus  far  are  but  the  mountings  of  the 
principal  instrument,  although  they  incidentally 
furnish  the  best  possible  accommodations  for 
many  others." 

They  next  passed  through  an  entrance  on  the 
north  side  of  the  stone  tower,  where  an  inclined 
platform  led  to  a  door,  as  if  on  a  ship  in  the 
docks.  They  ascended  this  platform  and  passed 
into  the  interior.  Paul  gazed  with  admiration 
at  the  arching  canopy  above  them,  which  was 
grand  in  its  proportions  and  presented  a  space 
perfectly  clear  with  the  exception  of  the  axial 
shaft,  which  passed  through  the  floor  at  the  cen- 
tre and  sloped  away  to  the  north  side  of  the 
roof.  It  was  supported  from  the  floor  by  iron 
trusswork.  He  saw  about  him  several  large 
refractors,  turning  on  pivots  and  mounted  on 
simple  trunnions,  together  with  many  other  in- 


THE    CRYSTAL   BUTTON.  191 

struments  whose  uses  he  did  not  know  ;  but  the 
great  reflector,  —  where  was  that  ? 

"  These  are  magnificent  instruments,"  he  said 
to  Marco,  "  but  I  expected  to  see  something 
much  larger." 

Marco  smiled,  and  pointed  across  the  inclosed 
space  to  an  oval  -  shaped  object  covered  by  a 
screen.  They  walked  across  to  its  side,  and 
an  attendant  withdrew  the  screen,  revealing  an 
immense  concave  mirror,  elliptical  in  form,  its 
shortest  diameter  being  at  least  twenty  feet.  It 
was  supported  by  a  metal  framework,  which  re- 
minded Paul  of  the  frame  of  a  monster  steam- 
engine.  The  mirror  sloped  backward  at  an 
angle  of  forty-five  degrees  from  the  perpendicu- 
lar, and  was  so  arranged  that  this  inclination 
could  be  changed  through  an  arc  of  forty-five 
degrees. 

''  This  is  remarkable  !  "  exclaimed  Paul,  "  but 
I  do  not  understand  it.  It  is  a  much  larger  S23ec- 
ulum  than  I  supposed  possible  to  make  ;  but  it 
has  not  a  spherical  curve,  and  it  has  no  tube  or 
place  for  an  observer  that  I  can  perceive." 

"  True,  it  has  no  tube,  but  the  place  for  the 
observer  is  across  the  hall.  Do  you  see  those 
iron  guides  running  up  nearly  to  the  roof  ? 
Well,  those  are  the  elevator  guides  by  which  the 
other  end  of  the  telescope,  with  the  observer's 
seat,  his  short  tube,  and  his  eye-pieces,  are  ele- 


192  THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON. 

vatecl  or  lowered  to  correspond  with  the  inclina- 
tion given  to  the  mirror.  These  guides  are  seg- 
ments of  a  circle,  whose  centre  is  the  axis  of  the 
mirror.  It  is  now  placed  for  zenith  observations, 
and  the  chair  of  the  observer  is  at  the  bottom. 
The  image,  you  see,  is  reflected  at  an  angle  of 
forty-five  degrees.  Hence  its  elliptical  form  and 
its  spheroidal  curves.  From  the  eye-piece,  the 
mirror  presents  a  perfectly  round  disk  and  pro- 
duces a  perfect  image.*' 

While  they  were  looking  across  toward  the  ob- 
server's end  of  the  telescope,  the  attendant  care- 
fully returned  the  curtain  to  its  place  ;  and  the 
two  visitors  walked  across  to  the  other  extremity. 

Paul  was  deeply  impressed  by  the  great 
strength  of  every  part,  and  also  by  the  extraor- 
dinary provisions  for  securing  absolute  accuracy 
of  movement.  The  short  tube  was  uncovered, 
and  was,  in  fact,  a  large  telescope.  Within  the 
car,  or  chair,  were  arranged  a  great  variety  of 
high  and  low  power  eye-pieces,  spectroscopes, 
etc.  Paul  longed  for  a  single  peep  through  this 
monster  artificial  eye,  which  must,  he  thought, 
have  the  vision  of  a  god.  He  felt  himself  humbled 
to  the  dimensions  of  a  creeping  insect,  as  he  con- 
sidered the  smallness  of  his  horizon  as  compared 
with  that  of  the  tremendous  instrument  before 
him  ;  and  he  left  the  building  with  his  head  still 
uncovered,  as  if  he  were  in  the  Divine  Presence. 


CHAPTER   XXill. 
The  Transcontinental  Railway, 

"  For  variety,"  said  Marco,  "  we  will  return 
to  the  city  by  one  of  these  electric  road-car- 
riages, which  is  likely  to  be  quite  as  swift  as  the 
aerial  car,  and  we  shall  then  have  an  opportu- 
nity to  inspect  the  transcontinental  railway  line. 
I  am  sure  that  will  interest  you,  for  it  is  based 
on  a  principle  which  was  only  entertained  as  a 
vague  theory  in  your  century.  And,  if  we  lose 
no  time,  we  shall  be  able  to  take  a  glimpse  of  the 
evening  train  as  it  shoots  by." 

"  By  all  means,  then,  let  us  hasten." 

"  The  electric  carriage  must  hasten  for  us. 
The  road  to  the  city  from  this  point  is  one  of 
the  best,  and  there  are  no  restrictions  as  to 
speed,  so  our  driver  wdll  be  able  to  show  you  the 
possibilities  of  his  machine." 

With  these  words,  Marco  called  a  carriage,  ex- 
plained to  the  driver  that  he  wished  to  be  at  a 
certain  point  at  a  certain  time  ;  and^  without  an 
instant's  delay,  they  coursed  down  Meridian  Peak 
and   into  one   of   the  great  boulevards  leading 


Il 


19 i  THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON. 

toward  the  city,  which  blazed  and  glistened  in  the 
afternoon  sun-glow. 

Meanwhile  the  carriage  itself  attracted  Paul's 
attention,  by  reason  of  its  simplicity  and  beauty, 
and  the  surprising  ease  with  which  it  glided 
along  the  level  highway.  In  form,  the  body  was 
not  unlike  that  of  the  primitive  coupe,  giving  ac- 
commodation to  two  passengers  inside,  while  the 
driver  occujiied  an  outer  and  elevated  seat  at  the 
rear,  after  the  style  of  the  Hansom  cab.  The 
source  of  power  was  invisible  :  and,  judging  by 
the  attitude  of  the  driver,  the  means  of  applying 
it  was  well-nigh  automatic.  Marco  explained 
that  the  electric  battery  was  snugly  packed  un- 
der the  seat  they  occupied,  and  that  the  supply 
of  power  was  equal  to  about  a  day's  travel  with 
their  present  load  and  under  the  favorable  con- 
ditions of  the  road  before  them. 

"  And  about  what  speed  are  we  now  mak- 
ing?" 

"  The  driver  can  tell  us,  as  a  dial  before  him 
keeps  that  fact  constantly  recorded,  so  that  he 
can  time  himself  to  make  any  given  distance 
with  the  greatest  accuracy." 

An  inquiry  addressed  to  the  driver  brought 
tlie  response  that,  while  coasting  down  the  hill- 
side, they  had  for  a  short  space  made  a  record 
of  twenty-one  and  one  tenth  miles  per  hour,  but 
that  this  was  now  reduced  to  eighteen  and  four 
tenths. 


THE    CRYSTAL    BUTT  OS.  195 

Marco  further  explained  that  the'  body  and 
wheels  of  the  vehicle  were  composed  entirely  of 
metal ;  but  such  was  the  accuracy  of  adjustment 
that  not  the  slightest  sound  was  heard,  except- 
ing the  firm,  even  roll  of  the  wheels  as  if  they 
clung  to  a  metal  track,  and  the  occasional  j)eal 
of  a  musical  bell  as  they  approached  a  cross- 
road or  a  vehicle  going  less  rapidly  than  the}^ 
The  danger  of  collision  was  greatly  reduced  by 
the  fact  that  all  vehicles  approaching  the  city 
were  divided  from  those  outward-bound  by  a 
double  row  of  elms  inclosing  three  middle  paths 
for  pedestrians,  bicycles,  and  saddle-horses  ;  so 
that  speed  was  seldom  slackened  excepting  at 
some  of  the  great  crossways. 
"  So  horses  are  allowed  here." 
"  Yes,  we  are  still  outside  the  city  limits." 
Between  the  towering  Pyramids  they  soon 
swept ;  down  the  incline  toward  the  river,  alive 
with  gay  water-craft ;  over  the  Old  Bridge,  pop- 
ulous with  statues  ;  and  then,  by  a  swift  curve, 
under  the  porte-cochere  of  the  railway  station, 
where  they  learned  that  the  evening  express  was 
due  in  two  minutes  and  a  quarter.  The  station- 
master  showed  them  an  indicator  in  his  office, 
on  which  the  approaching  train  was  shown  by  an 
index  finger  ;  and,  at  the  same  moment,  alarm 
bells  began  to  sound  along  the  roadways.  The 
window  of  the  station  was  thrown  up,  and  they 
looked  out  to  see  the  track. 


196  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

"  But  I  see  no  track!  "  exclaimed  the  aston- 
ished spectator. 

"  I  will  explain  that  later,"  said  Marco.  "  Here 
comes  the  train  !  " 

There  was  a  flash  —  a  glisten  —  a  slight  sus- 
pension of  breath  and  dizziness  as  the  air  seemed 
caught  from  the  lungs  —  a  little  puff  of  dust  — 
and  it  was  gone  I 

*'  Is  that  a  railway  train  which  passed,"  gasped 
Paul,  "  or  a  whirlwind  ?  " 

"  That,"  answered  the  station-master,  smiling 
at  the  visitor's  surprise,  "  is  our  regular  evening 
express,  which  will  land  its  passengers  within 
sound  of  the  Pacific's  waves  in  twenty-four  hours 
from  now." 

"  And  now  about  the  track." 

"  Before  we  look  at  that,"  said  Marco,  "  I 
want  to  propose  that  we  visit  the  main  station 
and  car-shops,  where  you  will  have  an  opportu- 
nity to  examine  the  rolling-stock.  My  object  in 
pausing  here  was  simply  to  show  you  a  train 
under  full  speed." 

They  therefore  reentered  their  carriage,  took 
another  short  course,  obtained  a  permit  and  a 
guide,  and  were  conducted  into  a  spacious  car- 
house,  where  several  trains  stood  side  by  side. 

At  first  glance,  Paul  thought  each  train  was 
continuous  from  end  to  end,  and  it  was  practi- 
cally so,  although  there  were  provisions  for  dis- 


THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON.  197 

connecting  its  parts  and  lengthening  or  shorten- 
ing it  according  to  the  demands  of  custom.  Each 
train  was  several  hundred  feet  in  length,  and 
the  entrance  doors  were  at  the  sides. 

While  he  stood  looking  at  them,  a  bell  struck, 
and  one  of  these  solid  trains  moved  slowly  and 
smoothly  past  him,  gradually  attaining  speed, 
and  with  such  silent  celerity  that  Paul  stared 
after  it  in  dumb  amazement  as  it  vanished  in 
the  far  distance. 

"  What  kind  of  wheels,  what  kind  of  axles, 
and  what  kind  of  roadways  liave  you,  to  admit 
of  speed  like  that  ?  "  asked  Paul ;  "  and  what 
speed  is  it  possible  for  you  to  attain  ?  " 

"  To  answer  your  last  question  first,"  said  the 
guide,  "  our  fastest  trains  travel  at  the  rate  of 
three  degrees  of  longitude  [over  two  hundred 
miles]  per  hour.  The  rails,  wheels,  journals, 
and  boxes  are  all  either  solid,  or  cased  with  hard- 
ened steel,  and  are  perfectly  true." 

" I  see,"  said  Paul  excitedly,  —  ''I  see  that  this 
is  an  age  of  j^erfection,  and  that,  with  the  perfect 
mechanism  you  have  to  deal  with,  you  can  easily 
and  safely  make  somewhat  over  four  times  the 
speed  we  used  to  boast  of.  Why  not  ?  We  did 
well  to  accomplish  what  we  did,  over  the  rough 
jounces  of  our  crooked  rails  and  decaying 
wooden  sleepers.  But  your  track  ?  I  have  not 
yet  seen  any  track.  I  see  only  these  fences,  — 
what  is  the  purpose  of  these  fences?  " 


198  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

""  They  are  the  tracks,"  said  the  guide,  sol- 
emnly eying  the  visitor,  as  if  he  did  not  quite 
understand  the  cause  of  his  surprise. 

Paul  advanced  and  asked :  "  On  which  side 
of  this  fence  was  the  train  that  has  just  left 
us  ?  " 

"  It  was  on  both  sides,"  said  Marco,  laughing ; 
"  in  fact,  it  was  astride  of  this  fence.  It  is  sim- 
ply a  single-track  railway." 

Upon  examining  the  single  rail  on  top  of  the 
supposed  fence,  Paul  found  that  it  consisted 
of  a  number  of  steel  bars,  placed  on  edge  and 
bolted  together  by  lapping  joints  so  as  to  make 
it  continuous,  and  fixed  in  a  grooved  capping  of 
cast-iron,  all  being  planed  and  fitted  with  the 
greatest  nicety.  The  lower  part  of  the  fence- 
like support  of  the  rail  proper  was  extremely 
strong  and  stiff,  having  a  wide  base  and  being 
bolted  to  a  solid  stone  foundation. 

Paul  walked  around  the  front  end  of  one  of 
the  "  transports,"  as  he  noticed  the  guide  called 
these  trains,  and  found  it  to  be  pointed  like  the 
prow  of  a  boat,  and  the  lower  part  cleft  to  the 
heio*ht  of  the  rail,  which  latter  was  about  six  feet 
above  the  foundation.  On  the  top  of  the  trans- 
port was  a  longitudinal  projection,  like  the  in- 
verted keel  of  a  boat,  or  still  more  like  the 
dorsal  fin  of  an  eel.  "  This  covers  the  wheels," 
said  Paul  to  himself,  "  and  the  axles  are  across 


THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON.  199 

the  top,  or  probably  under  the  framework  of  the 
top."  On  questioning  the  guide,  he  found  this 
to  be  the  case. 

"  These  transports,  as  you  see,  are  very  light 
structures,"  said  Marco,  "great  weight  having 
been  found  inconsistent  with  great  speed." 

"  I  believe  you  are  right,"  said  Paul ;  "  yet  in 
my  day  we  had  night  cars  weighing  over  thirty 
tons  each,  whose  carrying  capacity  was  only 
fifteen  passengers,  or  two  tons  of  dead  weight 
to  each  passenger  carried  ;  while,  at  the  same 
time,  we  had  cars  of  only  one  twentieth  that 
weight  which  easily  carried  the  same  number  of 
passengers  and  their  luggage  over  the  rough- 
est roads.  I  suppose,"  he  continued,  "that  a 
train  on  a  double-track  road  could  hardly  be 
made  to  attain  the  high  speed  that  has  been 
named." 

"  No,"  answered  Marco,  "  for  experience 
showed  that  they  were  liable  to  jump  the  tracks, 
or  do  something  else  that  was  undesirable.  You 
see,  this  is  no  experiment.  Centuries  ago,  it  was 
settled  that  the  use  of  a  single  track  was  the 
only  practicable  means  of  combining  speed  and 
safety.  By  this  arrangement,  the  weight  is  dis- 
posed on  either  side  and  below  the  top  of  the 
rail,  for  the  transport  bestrides  its  support  just 
as  a  rider  does  his  horse,  thus  giving  a  maximum 
degree  of  stability  and  safety." 


200  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

"  I  should  think  curves,  turnouts,  and  draw- 
hridfres  would  cause  trouble." 

"  So  they  would,"  said  Marco,  ^^  if  we  had 
them  ;  but  the  rail  for  a  fast  line  has  no  curves, 
and  no  breaks  excepting  at  terminal  stations, 
where  all  transfer  ways  are  placed.  No  switches 
are  ever  used  on  the  fast  lines." 

"  A  very  wise  precaution,  too,"  said  Paul. 
"  Those  old  switches  we  used  to  tolerate  had  a 
multitude  of  crimes  to  answer  for.  But  how  do 
you  prevent  the  overhanging"  sides  of  this  trans- 
port from  rubbing  and  grinding  against  the  iron- 
work below  the  rail?  It  must  sometimes  be 
'  out  of  trim,'  as  we  would  say  of  a  boat ;  and 
this  transport  is  really  more  like  a  boat  than 
like  any  rail-car  I  have  ever  before  seen." 

"  Look  underneath  here,"  said  Marco,  "  and 
you  will  readily  understand  how  that  is  avoided. 
Here  are  horizontal  wheels,  which  rest  against 
the  sides  of  the  iron  support.  When  speed  is 
attained,  these  wheels  separate  a  little,  by  an  ar- 
rangement worked  by  the  swift  passage  of  air 
through  the  clefts  dividing  the  two  parts  of  the 
transport.  Thus  they  come  into  action  only 
when  the  motion  is  slow,  as  in  starting  or  slow- 
ing up.  Moreover,  as  you  doubtless  know,  great 
velocity  insures  stability.  A  body  moving  with 
swiftness  shows  no  tendency  to  oscillation.  And 
here  again,  on  the  roof,  is  another  device  intended 


THE    CRYSTAL   BUTTON.  201 

to  preserve  the  proper  poise.  It  works  automat- 
ically. You  see  this  longitudinal  rib  on  top, 
which  covers  the  wheels.  It  looks  smooth  and 
continuous,  but  it  is,  in  fact,  cut  out  in  various 
places  between  the  wheels,  and  these  cut-out  sec- 
tions are  mounted  on  upright  shafts  and  turned 
t3  the  right  or  left  as  the  car  tilts,  however  lit- 
tle that  may  be ;  and  the  swift  current  of  air, 
striking  these  rudders,  helps  further  to  keep  the 
transport  vertical  and  steady.  If  you  were  to 
ride  in  one,  I  think  you  would  be  surprised  to 
find  how  perfectly  this  quality  of  steadiness  has 
been  attained." 

"  No  doubt,  no  doubt !  Indeed,  I  am  now 
ready  to  believe  that  the  generations  of  master- 
minds that  have  dealt  with  these  questions  since 
my  day  have  removed  all  difficulties  which  puz- 
zled railway  managers  in  my  time.  Yet  these 
points  cannot  but  present  themselves  to  my  mind, 
and  suggest  questions.  For  instance,  supposing 
the  engineer  should  forget  to  apply  the  brakes 
at  the  proper  time,  I  should  think,  in  case  of  a 
smash-up,  that  a  transport  and  its  passengers 
would  be  demolished  beyond  recognition." 

"Unquestionably,"  answered  Marco;  "but  we 
do  not  throw  as  much  responsibility  on  human 
agency  as  you  were  accustomed  to  do.  We  sup- 
plement man's  powers  by  every  possible  me- 
chanical contrivance.     These  brakes  all  act  auto- 


202  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

matically.  Whenever  tlie  transport  approaches 
a  point  on  the  road  where  a  regular  stop  is  to 
be  made,  the  brakes  are  thrown  into  action  by  an 
attachment  to  the  track,  or,  rather,  to  the  frame 
that  supports  it.  A  long,  swelled  projection  on 
the  frame  actuates  an  arm  on  the  transport,  and 
thereby  throws  on  the  brakes  and  shuts  off  the 
steam  at  the  same  instant.  This,  of  course, 
applies  only  to  regular  stopping-places.  In  case 
of  emergency,  the  engineer  uses  his  judgment, 
but  we  leave  as  little  to  his  judgment  as  possi- 
ble." 

"  I  suppose  it  is  all  right,"  said  Paul,  "  but 
we  used  to  have  an  idiom  to  the  effect  that '  ac- 
cidents will  happen  in  the  best  regulated  fami- 
lies,' the  truth  of  which  we  frequently  exem- 
plified ;  and  I  should  think  such  speed  would  be 
fruitful  of  disaster.  Imagine  another  train 
coming  in  contact  with  it  from  behind,  as  was 
not  uncommon  in  the  early  days  of  railroading  ; 
why,  not  a  person  in  either  transport  could 
escape  instant  annihilation." 

"  That  can  never  happen,"  said  Marco,  "  for 
the  positions  of  all  transports  are  known  at  all 
times  all  along  the  line  ;  and  in  case  one  made 
a  stop  from  any  unexpected  cause,  every  other 
would  be  immediately  notified  by  telegraph, 
and  none  would  be  allowed  to  leave  a  station 
unless  the  track  were  open  to  the  next  principal 
station." 


THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON.  203 

"  That  is  a  good  arrangement.  Yet  I  should 
still  expect  trouble  of  some  kind  would  result 
from  such  speed.  I  should  expect,  for  instance, 
that  the  wheels  would  sometimes  fly  in  pieces, 
and  come  crashing  through  the  middle  wall  into 
the  passengers'  quarters." 

"  All  I  can  say  is  that  it  does  not  happen. 
Of  course,  every  possible  precaution  is  adopted. 
The  wheels  are  of  the  best  quality  of .  steel  forg- 
ings,  and  no  more  liable  to  break  than  a  cir- 
cular saw,  which  can  safely  be  run  at  double 
the  speed." 

''I  should  suppose,  also,"  continued  Paul, 
"  that  engines  heavy  enough  to  drive  these  car- 
riages could  hardly  be  worked  fast  enough  to 
turn  the  wheels  at  the  required  speed  without 
great  loss." 

"A  very  good  point,"  replied  Marco,  "but 
I  will  answer  it  by  showing  you  the  engine 
itself." 

Walking  down  to  the  middle  of  the  trans- 
port by  which  they  were  standing,  they  entered 
the  engineer's  compartment,  and  Paul  soon  per- 
ceived how  this  difficulty  was  overcome.  High 
overhead  were  the  axles  of  the  great  driving- 
wheels.  These  axles  were  provided,  not  with 
cranks,  but  with  gears.  The  gears  were  rather 
small-toothed,  very  small  and  bright,  broad-faced, 
and  arranged  in  pairs,  two  wheels  being  placed 


204  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

side  by  side,  the  teeth  not  corresponding  in  po- 
sition. The  crank-shaft,  which  passed  through 
from  side  to  side  in  the  space  between  the 
tread  of  the  driving-wheels,  carried  two  pairs 
of  crown  wheels  and  engaged  the  four  pairs  of 
pinion  wheels  on  the  axles  above.  The  speed- 
ing-up was  about  three  to  one.  The  steam  cyl- 
inders were  horizontal,  and  placed  as  near  the 
middle  of  the  shaft  as  possible.  All  the  ar- 
rangements were  very  beautiful,  and  they  com- 
mended themselves  to  Paul's  practiced  eye  as 
perfection  realized. 

"Well,"  said  Marco,  as  his  companion  com- 
pleted his  survey,  "  what  do  you  think  of  it  ?  " 

"  I  think,"  said  Paul,  "  as  a  jockey  might, 
after  inspecting  a  famous  horse,  —  '  it  looks  as 
if  it  had  ninety  in  it.'  But  do  you  find  no  diffi- 
culty in  starting  these  engines  ?  " 

"  We  probably  should,"  answered  the  young 
engineer,  "  but  we  avoid  that  liability  by  em- 
ploying an  auxiliary  starter,  worked  by  com- 
pressed air,  which  gives  it  a  good  send-off.  The 
engine  is  perfectly  capable  of  making  a  start 
from  a  standing  position,  but  it  would  be  a  lit 
tie  slow." 

"  I  understand.  Now,  one  thing  more,  if  you 
please,  and  if  time  will  allow.  I  should  like 
very  much  to  see  something  of  your  system  of 
electric  signals.      I  shall  probably  not  be  able 


THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTOIV.  205 

to  compreliend  them,  but  even  a  glance  at  them 
would  interest  me,  because  I  have  given  con- 
siderable attention  to  that  subject." 

They  walked  toward  the  manager's  office,  and 
as  they  did  so,  Paul  watched  the  great  trans- 
fer platform  slowly  moving  the  transports  into 
position  for  starting.  He  also  saw  another  of 
these  movable  sections  of  the  road  in  a  monster 
turntable,  waiting  to  receive  one  of  the  trans- 
ports, which,  like  a  land  steamer,  was  gradually 
swinging  about,  as  if  at  her  dock. 

Upon  entering  the  office,  the  young  man  di- 
rected Paul's  attention  to  a  long  case,  which  had 
a  double  slide  in  front,  and  a  metallic  back  on 
which  were  engraved  the  names  of  cities. 

"There,"  said  Marco,  "this  represents  the 
length  of  road  from  here  to  Megothem,  two 
hundred  miles  or  an  hour's  distance  from  here. 
These  are  the  names  of  the  stations  along  the 
road,  and  these  little  moving  objects  represent 
the  precise  positions  of  all  the  transports  now 
€71  route^  either  going  or  coming.  Whenever  a 
stop  is  made  by  any  one  of  them,  a  gong  is 
sounded,  and  this  signal  is  repeated  when  it 
starts  again.  The  manager,  by  a  glance,  can 
thus  keep  the  run  of  things  as  speedily  and  ac- 
curately as  he  can  tell  the  time  of  day  by  look- 
ing at  the  clock." 

"  We  used  a  similar  device  in  connection  with 


206  THE  CRYSTAL  BUTTON. 

our  passenger  elevators  in  buildings,"  said  Paul, 
"  so  I  can  readily  understand  how  the  princi- 
])le  might  be  extended  and  applied  in  this  case. 
It  is  excellent.  Has  the  manager  also  some 
means  of  communicating  with  the  trains  while 
in  transit  ?  " 

"  Oh,  certainly.  Each  transport  is  in  tele- 
graphic connection  with  every  station  on  the 
line,  so  that  messages  can  be  passed  to  and  fro 
whenever  desirable." 

"  Good,  very  good  !     And  the  result  is  "  — 
"  No   accidents,"  broke  in  Marco,    "  and   no 
opportunity  for  accidents." 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

Mount  Energy. 

"  Now,  tlien,"  said  Marco,  "  prepare  to  be 
again  surprised,  and  sujDremely  so,  by  a  sight  of 
what  we  call  '  Mount  Energy.'  " 

A  further  short  course  in  the  electric  carriage 
brought  them  to  the  outskirts  of  the  city,  where 
they  alighted  at  the  foot  of  a  rocky  hill ;  and  on 
its  brow  Paul  beheld  a  lofty  rampart  or  tower  of 
stone,  circular  in  form  and  more  than  two  thou- 
sand feet  in  diameter,  surmounted  by  what  ap- 
peared to  be  a  naval  display  of  tall-masted  ves- 
sels, sailing  in  stately  procession  around  the 
margin  of  its  summit.  "  Well,  well !  "  exclaimed 
Paul,  "  I  don't  understand  at  all  what  this 
means." 

"  This,"  said  Marco,  "  is  one  of  many  similar 
towers  from  which  we  mainly  derive  our  mechan- 
ical pov/er,  and  this  is  the  largest.  Here  is  where 
we  produce  the  compressed  air  that  moves  our 
cars  and  drives  our  machinery  ;  here  are  located 
the  electric  generators  that  give  us  light ;  and 
here  we  separate  hydrogen  from  water,  that  it 


/ 


208  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

may  be  used  for  warming  our  houses  in  winter 
and  cooking  our  food.  These  processes  are 
chiefly  performed  by  power  caught  directly  from 
the  winds.  Mind  you,  we  no  longer  look  upon 
the  winds  of  heaven  as  uncontrollable  and  pitiless 
forces  that  are  to  be  feared  and  shunned.  We 
invite  their  cooperation ;  and,  with  a  little  in- 
genuity in  handling  them,  they  have  become 
very  docile  and  helpful  friends." 

"  I  see,  —  you  have  tamed  our  eagles  into  do- 
mestic fowls.  But  do  you  not  find  them  rather 
inconstant?  I  should  suppose  that  their  wings 
would  often  be  becalmed,  and  that  your  machin- 
ery would  soon  stop." 

"  That  is  where  the  ingenuity  comes  in,"  said 
Marco.  "  Like  most  other  difficulties,  this  one 
is  not  insurmountable,  as  you  will  soon  see. 
But  before  I  try  to  explain,  let  us  walk  up 
the  incline  leading  to  the  working  level,  and 
there  you  will  be  able  to  see  and  understand  for 
3^ourself  most  of  the  appliances  that  are  em- 
ployed." 

The  terraced  road  before  them,  after  reaching 
the  summit  of  the  hill,  entered  a  long  arched 
roadway  or  sloping  bridge  that  led  to  the  top 
of  the  wall,  where  an  arched  opening  gave 
entrance  to  the  interior.  They  slowly  climbed 
this  steep  incline,  stopping  frequently  to  take 
breath,  and  also  to   enjoy   the  charming  pano- 


THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON.  209 

ramie  view  of  the  contrasted  scenes  of  city  and 
country  life  by  which  they  were  surrounded. 
Out  of  the  sunshine  they  then  passed  through 
the  topmost  arch  and  last  tunnel,  that  led 
through  a  solid  wall  thirty  or  forty  feet  in  thick- 
ness, into  the  midst  of  the  animated  scene  of  the 
interior.  Paul  was  fully  prepared  to  be  sur- 
prised, but  the  reality  far  surpassed  his  expecta- 
tions. 

The  entire  roof  of  the  vast  tower  was  slowly 
revolving  above  their  heads  like  a  horizontal 
wheel.  At  intervals  between  the  circumference 
and  centre  were  lines  of  iron  framework,  form- 
ing circles  within  each  other,  and  these  frames 
supported  a  great  number  of  wheels  on  which 
the  roof  rested  and  revolved.  Attached  to  the 
iron  frames  and  operated  by  the  wheels  were  in- 
numerable condensing  engines,  and  other  strange- 
looking  contrivances  that  Marco  explained  were 
electric  generators  and  hj^drogen  liberators. 
Upon  inquiry,  they  learned  that,  as  the  breeze 
blowing  was  moderate,  only  one  fourth  the  en- 
tire number  of  machines  were  at  present  con- 
nected ;  but  that,  with  a  high  wind,  all  could 
easily  be  pushed  to  their  full  capacity,  and  the 
amount  of  work  they  accomplished,  as  exhibited 
by  tables  of  figures,  was  beyond  the  power  of 
Paul's  mind  to  grasp  at  once. 

*'  Before  we  go  up  on  deck,"  said  Marco,  "  I 


210  THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON. 

raay  as  well  explain  the  principal  features  of 
this  wind  apparatus.  You  noticed  the  solidity 
of  the  wall  through  which  we  entered.  Well,  on 
top  of  this  wall  is  a  circular  canal,  extending 
around  the  whole  structure.  Floating  in  this 
canal  is  an  annular  vessel,  nearly  filling  it,  which 
carries  the  principal  weight  of  the  deck  that 
covers  the  entire  area,  and  also  the  weight  of  the 
masts,  sails,  and  rigging.  The  wheels  on  which 
the  deck  rests  help  incidentally  to  support  it,  but 
are  mainly  employed  in  accumulating  and  trans- 
mitting the  power." 

While  Marco  thus  spoke,  the  visitors  reached 
the  great  central  shaft,  around  which  curved  a 
stairway,  and  this  they  followed  until  they  stepped 
through  an  opening  at  the  top  and  stood  in  the 
midst  of  the  revolving  platform,  surrounded  by 
sunshine  and  the  flash  of  white  sails.  In  the  cen- 
tre arose  an  iron  tower  or  mainstay,  that  seemed 
to  pierce  the  clouds  ;  while  around  the  rim  of  the 
deck,  at  regular  intervals  of  one  hundred  feet, 
stood  the  masts,  uniform  in  height,  and  much 
higher  than  the  mainmasts  of  the  largest  ships. 
Sixty  of  these  masts  completed  the  circle.  They 
were  held  firmly  in  position  by  stays  radiating 
from  the  iron  tower,  and  also  by  stays  extending 
from  pne  to  another  and  to  projecting  spars  re- 
sembling bov/sprits.  Each  mast  was  provided 
with  a  double  series  of  booms,  swinging  both  in- 


THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON.  211 

wardly  and  outwardly,  the  lower  ones  being  very 
long,  while  those  at  the  top  were  shortened  like 
the  yards  of  a  square-rigged  ship.  On  these 
swinging  booms  were  arranged  the  sails,  which 
opened  and  closed  like  the  wings  of  a  butterfly, 
trimming  themselves  automatically  to  catch  the 
faintest  breeze.  Paul  could  easily  see  that  the 
strength  of  the  masts,  sails,  and  rigging  was  cal- 
culated to  withstand  the  most  furious  gale,  and 
that  no  reefing  was  ever  necessary.  The  great 
circular  ship  was  always  in  working  order,  day 
or  night,  blow  high  or  blow  low,  without  the 
need  of  ever  calling  poor  Jack  to  tumble  up  and 
spread  or  shorten  sail. 

Paul  gazed  without  speaking  upon  the  great 
white  wings  as  they  swept  noiselessly,  but  irre- 
sistibly, around  the  grand  circle.  He  felt  small 
and  weak  as  he  contemplated  the  proportions  of 
this  marvelous  work  of  human  hands,  and  esti- 
mated the  enormous  horse-power  it  must  repre- 
sent. "  There  is  really  a  sort  of  majesty  about 
it,"  he  finally  ejaculated. 

"  I  think  so,  too,"  said  Marco,  "  and  I  often 
pay  a  visit  here  to  get  nerved  up,  as  it  were." 

"  I  begin,"  added  Paul,  "  to  see  the  signifi- 
cance of  all  this.  In  the  rapid  succession  of  un- 
accustomed sensations  I  ha»ve  experienced  during 
the  past  two  days,  I  have  had  little  time  for 
thought;  but   I   can  vaguely  feel   rather   than 


212  THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON. 

understand  what  this  means.  The  world's  coal- 
fiekls  are  no  doubt  exhausted,  and  you  have  no 
fuel  for  either  steam-power  or  heating  purposes. 
Consequent!}^,  you  are  obliged  to  resort  to  this 
mode  of  obtaining  power  through  the  medium  of 
compressed  air,  and  to  this  mode  of  securing 
heat  through  h3'^drogen  and  light  through  elec- 
tricity. All  are  produced  here,  and  the  power 
that  produces  them  is  that  of  the  winds." 

"  You  are  a  keen  observer,  sir,"  said  Marco, 
"but  not  altogether  correct  in  your  premises. 
As  a  matter  of  fact,  our  coal  supply  is  not  yet 
exiiausted,  but  vast  quantities  have  been  wasted, 
and  we  never  allow  ourselves  to  use  coal  for  pro- 
ducing power  so  long  as  we  can  conveniently 
substitute  wind  or  falling  water,  and  our  steam 
is  mainly  produced  by  the  heat  of  the  sun's 
rays." 

"  Steam  by  the  sun's  rays  ?  "  said  Paul  inquir- 
ingly. "  Ah,  that  was  Ericsson's  prophecy. 
But  have  you  really  learned  how  to  secure  useful 
work  from  the  sun  ?" 

"  Yes,  indeed,"  rejoined  Marco.  "  In  the  long, 
hot  days  of  summer,  when  the  winds  are  light, 
it  is  a  powerful  auxiliary,  on  which  we  have 
learned  to  depend.  We  no  longer  complain  of 
hot  weather :  we  kiu)w  it  means  cheap  power, 
that  will  be  carefully  stored  and  prove  invalua- 
ble in  a  thousand  ways.     The  sun  apparatus  is 


THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON.  213 

at  work  to-day,  and,  if  you  are  ready,  we  will  im- 
mediately visit  it.  It  covers  the  south  wall  of 
this  structure,  and  we  can  descend  by  this  eleva- 
tor directly  to  the  works." 

"  One  more  question,  first,"  said  Paul.  "  I 
see  you  have  two  strings  to  your  bow  for  the 
production  of  energy ;  but  supposing  wind  and 
sun  both  fail  to  lend  their  shoulders  to  your 
work,  as  they  must  at  times,  what  then  hap- 
pens ?  " 

"  The  same  as  usual,"  answered  Marco. 
"  Everything  proceeds ;  nothing  stands  still. 
We  merely  make  a  draft  on  the  surplus  energy 
we  always  keep  on  storage,  which  is  intended  to 
be  sufficient  for  at  least  a  full  month's  supply 
without  assistance  from  any  other  source.  The 
supply  has  never  yet  been  exhausted." 

"  How  can  you  store  sufficient  compressed  air 
to  meet  such  a  requirement,  and  where  do  you 
store  it?" 

''  Storage  is  not  difficult.  For  instance,  the 
wall  that  supports  these  upper  works  is  a  vast 
water  cistern,  which  is  sunk  far  below  the  sur- 
face of  the  ground ;  and  resting  upon  the  water 
is  the  air-receiver,  which  is  of  the  full  size  of  the 
interior  space.  This  is  open  at  the  bottom,  and 
rises  as  the  air  is  forced  into  it.  It  has  a  verti- 
cal range  of  one  hundred  feet,  and  is  loaded  to 
maintain  a  pressure  of  three  atmospheres.     It 


214  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

is  not  an  open  inverted  cistern,  but  is  formed 
like  a  honeycomb  of  upright  hexagonal  cells, 
and  these  cells  communicate  with  each  other  bv 
openings  near  the  top,  so  that  the  pressure  is 
equal  and  constant." 

As  Marco  spoke,  he  drew  Paul  toward  the 
elevator ;  the  door"  opened,  and  they  took  their 
seats  in  the  car,  which  rapidly  descended. 

"  I  see,"  said  Paul ;  but  he  said  the  words  a 
little  dubiously. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

The  Solar  Steam- Works, 

'  At  the  bottom  of  the  elevator  shaft,  Paul  and 
Marco  entered  the  engine-room  of  the  Solar 
Steam-Works :  this  extension  to  the  main  struc- 
ture was  crescent  -  shaped,  and  extended  from 
the  southeast  tp  the  southwest,  covering  about 
a  third  of  the  main  wall.  The  floor  was  occu- 
pied by  a  long  line  of  powerful  steam-engines, 
following  the  curve  of  the  wall,  all  vigorously, 
but  noiselessly,  at  work. 

"  The  heating  apparatus,"  said  Marco,  **  which 
is  the  chief  attraction  for  us,  is  on  the  floor 
above ;  and  if  we  ascend  by  the  eastern  en- 
trance, we  shall  see  it  to  the  best  advantage,  as 
the  sun  is  now  on  the  west  side." 

Passing  up  a  spiral  stairway,  they  entered 
directly  into  the  steam-generating  room,  and 
Paul  experienced  still  another  novel  sensation. 
Some  moments  passed  before  he  was  able  to  col- 
lect his  faculties  and  intelligently  observe  what 
was  going  on  about  him.  He  then  saw  that,  on 
the  side  opposite  the  main  wall,  was  a  cavernous 


216  THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON. 

horizontal  recess,  walled  with  white  fire-brick, 
and  within  this  recess  a  perfect  network  of 
pipes.  This  pipe  cavern  extended  all  around 
the  outer  inclosure,  while  the  wall  above  the 
brickwork,  and  also  the  roof  of  the  great  cres- 
cent extension,  were  composed  entirely  of  glass, 
the  height  being  the  same  as  that  of  the  main 
structure,  namely,  two  hundred  feet,  with  width 
about  the  same.  Paul  next  noticed  that  the 
main  wall  was  entirely  covered  by  mirrors,  all 
so  adjusted  in  frames  that  they  were  made  to 
catch  and  reflect  the  sun's  rays  directly  into  the 
cavern  below  and  upon  the  pipes,  which  he  now 
understood  were  intended  to  answer  the  place  of 
boilers ;  the  movements  were  automatic,  turn- 
ing with  the  sun,  and  all  that  were  now  exposed 
cast  their  quota  of  rays  full  into  the  boiler  re- 
cess. The  effect  of  the  flood  of  light  which,  at 
first  glance,  seemed  to  radiate  from  the  boil- 
ers to  the  mirrors,  was  dazzling  beyond  descrip- 
tion, and  it  was  difficult  for  Paul  to  conceive 
that  the  blazing  interior  of  the  boiler  receptacles 
was  not  really  a  bed  of  live  coals.  Marco  ex- 
plained how  the  morning  sun  illuminated  one 
half  of  the  mirrors,  how  the  noon  sun  illnminated 
both  halves,  and  how  the  present  afternoon  sun 
again  expended  itself  on  one  half. 

"It  is   much  easier  than  you  might  at  first 
suppose,"  said  Marco,  "  to  thus  generate  steam 


THE    CRYSTAL  BUTTON.  217 

from  the  sun's  rays,  the  heat  being  directly  ap- 
plied to  a  much  larger  heating  surface  than 
could  be  reached  by  fire." 

"  Yes ;  but  the  degree  of  heat  thus  accumu- 
lated is  what  I  most  marvel  at." 

''  That  is  merely  a  matter  of  mathematics. 
We  have  only  to  catch  and  convert  into 
power  the  solar  heat  falling  upon  an  area  ten 
feet  square,  —  that  is,  one  hundred  square  feet, 
—  and  we  secure  energy  equal  to  the  force  of 
five  or  six  horses.  The  power  placed  within 
our  reach  by  the  sun's  rays  and  the  winds  is, 
you  see,  exhaustless,  and  equal  to  every  need  of 
man  in  the  way  of  motive  and  mechanical  force. 
But  I  should  add  that  both  these  sources  of 
power,  limitless  as  they  are,  would  be  of  little 
practical  use  to  us  without  the  medium  of  com- 
pressed air  through  which  we  make  the  applica- 
tion. In  your  day,  you  had  little  conception  of 
what  a  wonderful  agent  of  usefulness  you  held 
dormant  in  compressed  air.  It  is  always  ready 
for  work,  and  it  waits  our  pleasure  though  un- 
used for  years.  When  needed,  we  have  only  to 
turn  a  valve,  and  this  willing  servant  instantly 
answers  our  summons.  With  equal  facility  it 
turns  the  delicate  little  rotaries  for  the  lightest 
task,  or  the  immense  engines  employed  in  our 
factories  and  forging  works.  It  is  ready  for 
the  jeweler's  blowpipe,  or  for  the  blast  furnace. 


218  THE    CRYSTAL    BUTT  OX. 

It  cools  and  purifies  the  chamber  of  the  invalid, 
or  blows  the  organ,  or  dries  vaults  and  cellars. 
In  innumerable  ways,  it  is  now  an  indispensable 
helper." 

"  I  can  understand  that,"  said  Paul ;  "  and  I 
can  also  understand  one  imj^ortant  advantage  it 
possesses  as  com^Dared  with  steam.  With  steam- 
jDOwer  the  fire  needs  constant  attention  as  well 
as  the  boiler.  Moreover,  to  be  effectual,  —  to 
say  nothing  about  being  economical,  —  it  must 
be  operated  constantly  during  working  hours. 
It  must  oftentimes,  therefore,  be  in  active  ser- 
vice for  long  periods,  and  at  considerable  ex- 
pense for  fuel  and  care,  when  there  is  no  work 
for  it  to  do.  I  can  understand  that,  with  com- 
pressed air,  supplied  by  a  system  of  pipes,  there 
is  no  call  for  constant  attention,  but  it  is  al- 
ways on  duty  when  needed,  and  can  be  shut  off 
the  moment  it  has  filled  that  need." 

"  Moreover,"  continued  Marco,  "  a  further 
saving  is  made  in  our  large  workshops  by  hav- 
ing each  machine,  to  which  power  is  applied, 
driven  by  its  own  independent  air-wheel.  In 
fact,  nearly  every  machine  nowadays  is  made 
with  its  power-wheel  as  an  integral  part  of  the 
mechanism,  thus  saving  both  first  cost  and  wear 
and  tear  of  shafting,  pulleys,  and  belting,  and 
also  the  waste  of  power  required  in  constantly 
driving  them." 


THE  CRYSTAL   BUTTON.  219 

"  That 's  an  improvement,  certainly,"  re- 
sponded Paul.  "  So  you  connect  each  machine 
directly  with  the  supply  pipe,  do  you  ?  " 

''  Exactly." 

"  An  improvement,  unquestionably !  I  know 
that  by  my  own  experience." 

Leaving"  the  boiler-room,  and  descending  by 
stairs  to  the  engine  -  room  below,  they  again 
passed  the  long  row  of  engines  and  so  out  of 
the  building,  whereupon  they  reentered  the  elec- 
tric carriage,  and  were  whisked  down  the  hill- 
side avenue. 


CHAPTER   XXVI. 

Tlie  Palace  of  the,  Sun. 

"  Ake  we  now  bound  for  home  ?  "  asked  Paul. 

"  Yes ;  but  I  will  suggest  that  we  make  one 
more  call  on  the  way.  In  the  Solar  Steam- 
Works  you  have  seen  one  of  the  modes  in  which 
we  use  the  direct  rays  of  the  sun  as  a  helpmate 
in  our  work.  I  would  now  like  to  show  you 
how  we  also  use  them  as  a  pleasure-giving  and 
health-giving  agent.  If  you  are  not  too  tired,  I 
want  to  introduce  you  to  what  we  call  our  '  Pal- 
ace of  the  Sun.'  " 

"The  very  name  is  enough  to  banish  weari- 
ness, if  I  felt  it ;  but  I  am  not  at  all  tired." 

"  From  the  crest  of  this  hill,  you  will  be  able 
to  get  a  good  idea  of  its  external  appearance." 

A  few  moments  later,  the  young  man  directed 
the  driver  to  make  a  turn  to  the  left,  where, 
after  a  short  ascent  that  led  to  a  paved  terrace 
in  front  of  a  temple-like  structure,  a  glorious 
view  of  the  Sun  Palace  suddenly  burst  upon 
them.  There  was  no  need  to  ask,  "  Is  this  it  ?  " 
In  the  little  valley  beneath  them  lay  a  billowy 


THE   CRYSTAL    BUTTON.  221 

sea  of  glass,  glittering  in  the  late  sun-glow  as 
though  a  thousand  suns  were  imprisoned  within 
its  crystal  roofs.  A  park,  of  dimensions  that 
seemed  to  Paul  more  than  equal  to  the  familiar 
Boston  Common  of  his  own  day,  was  closed  in  by 
glass,  as  if  it  were  a  vast  conservatory.  A  cen- 
tral dome  of  glass  towered  hundreds  of  feet 
above  the  streets  below,  and  five  circles  of  lesser 
domes  and  arches  surrounded  this,  gradually 
decreasing  in  size  until  they  stooped  to  the  out- 
side walls  of  glass.  Glass,  —  everything  visible 
from  this  height  was  of  glass,  and  every  thing- 
was  aglow  with  sunshine. 

"It  is  certainly  marvelously  beautiful,"  said 
Paul ;  "  but  to  what  use  is  it  put  ?  I  seem  to 
see  streets  and  buildings  within  it,  as  if  it  were 
a  miniature  city.  It  now  occurs  to  me  that  it 
must  have  been  in  this  fairy  world  that  I  had 
the  pleasure  of  dining  wdth  the  Professor  last 
evening.  But  the  structure,  —  does  it  inclose  an 
international  exhibition  of  some  kind,  planned 
on  a  scale  that  makes  it  a  world  in  itself?  " 

"  No  and  yes.  It  is  not  at  all  one  of  the  ex- 
hibitions of  mechanical  devices,  such  as  became 
common  in  the  latter  half  of  the  nineteenth  cen- 
tury and  grew  to  gigantic  projjortions  in  the 
century  following.  Then,  when  the  science  of 
mechanics  was  in  comparative  infancy,  and  the 
code  of  knowledge  possessed  by  one  generation 


222  THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON. 

became  the  primer  of  the  next,  such  compara- 
tive reviews  of  recent  discovery  were  invalua- 
ble ;  but  now  we  have  little  or  nothing  new  to 
learn  along  those  much-traveled  lines.  Yet  it 
is,  indeed,  a  world  in  itself,  —  a  tropical  world, 
where  summer  always  reigns,  and  where  nothing 
is  ever  allowed  to  enter  that  does  not  bring  blos- 
soms, or  perfume,  or  music,  or  smiles,  or  happi- 
ness in  some  form  ;  nothing,  I  should  say,  other 
than  humanity.  Many  of  those  who  live  here 
are  invalids,  or  would  be  invalids  if  required  to 
face  the  rigors  of  our  climate  during  the  seasons 
of  change.  Here  it  is  always  June,  and  here 
every  precaution  is  taken  to  assemble  all  possi- 
ble conditions  that  are  favorable  to  health  and 
vitality.  Instead  of  sending  our  invalids  to  far- 
off  health  resorts,  we  have  brought  to  their  doors 
the  best  of  all  sanitariums,  where  friends  and 
medical  experts  can  be  within  easy  reach,  and 
where  they  are  surrounded  by  all  that  art  can 
furnish  to  amuse  and  stimulate  them.  But  you 
shall  see,  — you  shall  see !  " 

.  Upon  leaving  the  carriage,  they  entered,  by  a 
series  of  swinging  doors,  upon  a  central  avenue 
lined  with  flower-beds  and  tropical  trees,  among 
which  flitted  and  caroled  numerous  birds.  A 
delicate  fragrance  of  orange  blossoms  was  in  the 
air,  and  distant  music  lent  an  added  feeling  of 
restfulness. 


THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON.  223 

"You  may  find  it  a  trifle  warm,"  said  Marco, 
*'  just  after  leaving  the  outer  air,  but  you  will  soon 
become  accustomed  to  this  temperature,  which  is 
never  varied  throughout  the  year,  but  is  main- 
tained at  a  standard  that  is  considered  most 
conducive  to  the  health  of  animals  and  plants. 
Those  who,  like  myself,  find  the  sharp  nip  of 
the  winter  wind  a  pleasure  sometimes  call  this 
little  realm  '  Eifeminacia,'  and  it  is  a  fact  that 
those  who  constantly  dwell  here  have  less  vigor 
than  we  outsiders ;  but  they  unquestionably  have 
remarkably  good  health,  and  live  to  an  astonish- 
ingly ripe  old  age.  One  of  our  humorists  once 
remarked  that  '  invalidism  in  Effeminacia  is  im- 
mortalism.'  It  is  a  famous  winter  resort  for 
all  classes,  and  its  many  hotels  are  filled  to  over- 
flowing during  that  season.  It  is  also  the  chief 
centre  of  gayety  in  this  region  ;  and  its  constant 
attractions  in  the  way  of  music,  theatricals,  art 
exhibitions,  and  merrymakings  of  all  kinds  make 
it  a  rendezvous  throughout  the  year." 

"  It  certainly  appears  a  ^^aradise,  appealing  to 
every  sense." 

"  And  also  to  every  creature  comfort.  That 
is  its  object.  So  far  as  health  and  pleasure  are 
concerned,  human  skill  has  conceived  nothinsf 
more  perfect  than  this  little  Eden.  Of  course, 
we  have  many  public  works  that  exhibit  far 
more  genius,  but  this  is  a  happy  combination  of 


224  THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON. 

strikingly  beautiful  elements.  To  the  achieve- 
ments of  skill  there  seems  to  be  no  limit ;  and 
so  long  as  man  possesses  the  power  of  thought, 
he  will  constantly  be  engaged  in  adding  some- 
thins:  to  the  sum  of  human  knowledsfe  and  to 
visible  manifestations  of  that  knowledge." 

"  Very  true.  The  old  adage  that  '  the  pres- 
ent builds  upon  the  past '  still  holds,  no  doubt, 
and  the  accumulative  process  that  has  been 
active  ever  since  pre-glacial  man  fashioned  his 
first  rude  weapons  of  flint  is  evidently  still  at 
work  in  your  more  advanced  age  ;  but  you  can 
hardly  imagine  how  completely  a  leap  of  a.  few 
thousand  years  ap2:)ears  to  have  resulted  in  the 
creation  of  a  new  earth.  How  is  it  with  your 
heaven?    Have  yon  also  created  a  new  heaven?" 

"  It  was  one  of  John  Costor's  mottoes  that 
every  man  should  do  his  utmost  to  make  earth  a 
heaven.  He  viewed  all  unhappiness  with  sus- 
picion ;  and,  in  following  out  that  same  train  of 
thought,  we  have  found  it  to  be  a  general  truth 
—  with  only  enough  exceptions  to  prove  the 
rule  —  that  unhappiness  is  in  some  way  the  fruit 
of  either  sin  or  ignorance.  According:  to  his 
teachings,  if  we  could  only  banish  those  two 
conditions  from  human  life,  we  should  live  in  an 
earthly  paradise  that  would  fit  us  to  feel  at 
home  in  any  future  state,  however  joyful." 

"  Judging    from   the   cheerful    faces   of   the 


THE  CRYSTAL  BUTTON.  225 

pleasure-seekers  I  here  see  about  us,  you  would 
seem  already  to  have  realized  that  dream." 

'*  Not  wholly,  but  enough  to  encourage  us 
to  press  forward  along  the  path  that  Costor 
pointed  out." 

The  concourse  of  people  to  which  Paul  re- 
ferred was  certainly  quite  unlike  any  ever  gath- 
ered in  his  day.  Up  and  down  the  broad  ave- 
nues they  thronged,  dressed  in  the  lightest  of 
summer  clothing,  and  gayly  talking  and  laugh- 
ing. There  was  no  look  of  care,  no  feverish 
haste.  It  was  as  if  the  world  were  made  for 
them,  and  their  only  duty  to  drink  in  its  de- 
lights. Paul  watched  their  happy  faces  in  the 
doorways  and  on  the  spacious  balconies  project- 
ing from  the  upper  stories  of  the  structures  that 
towered  on  either  hand  above  the  orange-trees 
and  pahns.  If  any  of  these  were  invalids,  then 
it  seemed  well  to  be  an  invalid. 

Now  and  then  they  entered  and  took  a  glance 
at  some  pleasure-house,  where  paintings  and 
sculpture  looked  alive  in  the  warm,  perfumed 
air,  and  unseen  orchestras  gave  a  zest  to  every 
sense.  The  buildings  themselves,  by  which 
Paul  was  particularly  charmed,  showed  great 
variety  of  material  and  form.  No  two  facades 
were  alike,  but  all  were  graceful,  airy,  and  pro- 
fusely decorated.  Some  were  built  of  vari-col- 
ored  marbles,  and  others  of  light-tinted   enam- 


226  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

eled  bricks,  enameled  iron,  and  terra  cotta, 
while  still  others  were  of  white  glass  or  porce- 
lain blocks,  encased  by  a  framework  of  bronze. 

"  And  now,"  said  Paul,  ^'  that  I  have  re- 
covered from  my  first  impression  of  dazed  sur- 
prise, I  want  to  ask  how  this  June-like  tempera- 
ture is  thus  maintained  in  midwinter." 

"  That  is  the  question  that  suggested  our 
coming  here  this  afternoon.  The  sun  is  the 
only  source  of  heat  used.  Do  you  see  these 
long  lines  of  dead-black  surfaces  that  are  railed 
in  between  the  central  arbors  and  the  outer 
passageways?  Now  look  up  to  the  glass  roof 
and  see  the  thousands  of  mirrors  there  sus- 
pended to  the  iron  framework.  Those  mirrors 
are  so  arranged  that  reflected  rays  of  the  sun 
are  concentrated  directly  upon  these  black  sur- 
faces, in  the  same  manner  that  the  mirrors 
played  upon  the  heat  generators  in  the  Solar 
Steam-Works.  But  here,  instead  of  immediately 
transmitting  the  heat  into  mechanical  force, 
these  black  accumulators  catch  it  and  store  it 
up,  and  deliver  it  as  it  is  needed." 

"  Am  I  to  understand  that  you  can  thus  re- 
tain the  heat  for  any  length  of  time,  and  in 
sufficient  quantity  to  maintain  the  present  de- 
gree of  heat  throughout  the  year  ?  " 

"  Enough,  and  to  spare.  But  you  shall  now 
see  for  yourself." 


THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON.  227 

The  young  man  called  an  official,  and  ex- 
plained to  him  that  his  companion  was  a  stran- 
ger from  a  strange  land,  who  had  never  seen  a 
heat  accumulator,  and  asked  if  he  would  kindly 
give  a  test,  showing  the  power  of  the  heat  rays. 
The  official  drew  from  his  pocket  a  slip  of  black 
paper  and  tossed  it  over  the  railing  upon  the 
surface  of  the  accumulator.  It  immediately  be- 
gan to  smoke,  and  in  a  few  seconds  burst  into 
flame  and  was  reduced  to  white  ashes. 

"  The  sun  is  getting  low,"  said  the  official, 
"  and  the  heat  is  waning,  otherwise  the  combus- 
tion would  have  been  instantaneous.  In  another 
half  hour  we  shall  cover  the  accumulators. 
These  are  the  covers,"  he  continued,  pointing  to 
heavy  rolls  of  thick  matting  that  lay  on  the 
ground  against  the  railing.  "  By  a  touch  upon 
an  electric  button,  these  blankets  are  unrolled 
and  wrapped  about  the  accumulators,  thus  help- 
ing to  retain  the  heat,  while  beneath  the  surface 
are  large  masses  of  heat  absorbents,  in  the  form 
of  bricks,  built  up  in  kiln  shape,  with  air  spaces 
between  them.  The  stored  air  is  thereby  kept 
in  circulation,  and  all  heat  imparted  from  with- 
out is  thus  absorbed,  as  water  is  sucked  in  by  a 
sponge  ;  while  radiation  is  prevented  by  confin- 
ing walls  of  several  thicknesses  of  polished 
metal,  which  are  again  covered  on  the  outside 
by  a  thick  body  of  cotton  fibre.     By  this  means, 


228  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

we  can  retain  the  heat  for  many  weeks  without 
sensible  loss  ;  and  it  is  drawn  off  in  pipes,  which 
radiate  to  all  parts  of  the  inclosure  and  also  to 
the  interior  of  the  buildings,  for  use  at  what- 
ever points  it  may  be  needed." 

"It  is  a  great  scheme,  —  a  great  scheme !  " 
exclaimed  Paul.  "  But  now,  pray  tell  me  how 
people  manage  to  exist  here  in  midsummer. 
On  a  July  day,  about  three  o'clock  in  the  after- 
noon, I  should  think  they  would  roast  alive." 

"Not  at  all,"  replied  the  attendant.  "All 
the  glass  frames  in  the  roof  are  pivoted,  and 
can  be  opened  at  will  by  the  engineer  in  charge. 
We  thus  admit  or  exclude  the  outer  air,  as  may 
be  desired ;  and  whenever  the  normal  tempera- 
ture is  exceeded  by  even  a  degree,  we  open 
pipes  containing  compressed  air  stored  at  Mount 
Energy;  and  this,  having  parted  with  its  own 
heat,  absorbs  so  much  by  expansion  that  the 
standard  degree  is  restored  in  a  few  moments." 

"  I  suppose  your  householders  also  cook  by 
the  sun's  rays  ?  "  said  Paul  inquiringly. 

"JsTo,"  answered  Marco,  "not  as  a  rule,  but 
not  because  they  cannot.  Some  families  prefer 
the  process  by  direct  concentration ;  but  hydro- 
gen is  our  common  fuel  for  cooking,  and  that 
too  is  one  of  the  products  of  Mount  Energy,  as 
you  will  no  doubt  remember." 

"  There  is  one  more  question  I  would  like  to 


THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON.  229 

ask.  In  retaining  tlie  summer  temperature  on 
a  cold  winter  day  like  this,  does  not  the  inclosed 
air  soon  become  vitiated  by  the  thousands  of 
dwellers  here  present  ?  " 

"  Not  perceptibly,"  answered  Marco,  "  al- 
though, as  I  have  told  you,  we  outsiders,  who 
are  not  afraid  of  the  rough  caresses  of  the  north 
wind,  think  we  discover  a  lack  of  life-giving  qual- 
ity in  this  conservatory  climate.  On  the  other 
hand,  our  specialists  in  the  science  of  health 
find  the  conditions  here  peculiarly  favorable  to 
life.  The  management  employ  a  large  corps  of 
intelligent  officers,  who  give  constant  attention 
to  the  condition  of  the  air  both  as  to  tempera- 
ture and  purity ;  and  they  have  abundant  means 
at  command  to  control  it  and  to  prevent  its 
becoming  vitiated.  Several  stations,  located 
widely  apart,  contain  mechanism  for  detecting 
and  reporting  the  presence  of  deleterious  gases, 
by  means  of  columns,  dials,  and  sensitive  colors, 
and  the  character  of  the  air  can  thereby  be  read 
at  a  glance,  and  any  defect  be  promptly  reme- 
died." 

"  Ah !  that  is  as  it  should  be.  We  used  to 
be  surrounded  by  invisible  enemies  that  meant 
illness,  if  not  death,  and  they  found  access  not 
only  to  our  factories  and  places  of  amusement, 
but  also  to  our  homes.  Yet  we  had  at  com- 
mand no  monitor  to  warn  us  of  th-eir  presence. 


230  THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON. 

Our  thermometers  and  hygrometers  recorded 
little  more  than  our  senses  told  us.  The  meters 
we  most  needed  to  cry  '  Beware  I '  when  the  seeds 
of  death  hovered  about  us  raid  our  loved  ones, 
—  those  we  lacked." 

"  We  have  filled  that  lack,"  said  Marco  qui- 
etly. "  With  the  same  intelligence  that  we  eat, 
we  also  feed  our  lungs." 

The  sun  had  now  declined  until  its  heat  rays 
were  no  longer  serviceable ;  and  at  the  tinkle 
of  a  bell,  Paul  saw  the  accumulators  hide  them- 
selves beneath  their  blankets.  Marco  consulted 
his  watch,  and  suggested  that  they  ought  now  to 
start  for  home,  as  dinner-time  was  approaching. 
W^alking  rapidly  down  the  Avenue  of  Pahns, 
they  left  behind  them  groups  of  flaxen-haire(,^ 
children  playing  hide-and-seek  among  tlie  tree 
trunks,  took  a  last  glance  at  the  canopy  of  glass, 
asflow  with  sunset  tints  that  seemed  to  merg-e 
with  the  evening  sky,  and  passed  between  the 
buttressed  iron  towers  and  flapping  doors  to  the 
street,  where  a  sudden  snow-squall  greeted  them 
as  they  drew  the  carriage  robes  about  their 
knees. 

"  I  'm  afraid  there  's  something  of  the  tropi- 
cal plant  about  me,"  said  Paul,  as  be  sneezed 
and  then  coughed. 


PART  V. 

THE  CELESTIAL  VISITOR. 


CHAPTER   XXVIL 

An  Evening  at  Home. 

The  dinner  that  night,  served,  as  customary, 
from  a  pneumatic  tube,  which  proved  a  prompt 
and  efficient  waiter,  was  a  distinguished  success; 
and  the  animated  and  cheerful  conversation  of 
those  present  speedily  banished  the  mental  wea- 
riness which  Paul  naturally  felt  after  his  long 
tour  of  investigation. 

Of  course,  the  chief  subject  of  conversation 
was  the  near  approach  of  the  great  comet.  Be- 
fore the  coming  of  to-morrow's  daylight,  a  spec- 
tacle surpassing  all  glories  of  the  past  would 
sweep  into  view.  Before  the  dawn,  the  prophecy 
of  centuries  would  become  a  recorded  fact  in 
history.  Or  if  —  there  was  an  if  in  the  case  — 
if  the  prophecies  of  certain  pessimists  were  real- 
ized, to-morrow's  sun  would  see  the  close  of 
the  world's  book  of  history.     Professor  Prosper 


232  THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON. 

laughed  this  fear  to  scorn.  "  Why,  my  dear," 
he  said  to  his  daughter,  "this  thing  has  been 
figured  down  to  such  nicety  that  the  course  of 
the  comet  is  known  as  accurately  as  that  of  a 
horse  around  a  race-track ;  and  there  is  no  more 
danger  of  its  disturbing  our  peace  than  of  the 
horse  trampling  you  in  your  seat  on  the  grand- 
stand.    Nonsense,  my  dear  !  " 

Still,  there  was  a  sufficient  element  of  the 
unknown  in  the  matter,  and  consequently  suffi- 
cient possibility  of  the  unexpected,  to  give  that 
triflins:  sense  of  alarm  that  is  not  inconsistent 
with  pleasurable  anticipation,  and  every  eye  was 
bright,  every  cheek  flushed.  At  twenty-two  and 
three  quarters  minutes  before  three  o'clock,  the 
celestial  visitor  would  first  show  its  face.  One 
hour  and  eight  minutes  later,  it  would  flash  by. 
Time  was  getting  short.  No  sleep  to-night  in 
any  part  of  the  world.  The  close  of  one  era 
was  at  hand  —  but  would  it  mark  the  beginning 
of  another  ? 

After  dinner,  the  elder  daughter  exhibited 
the  pride  of  the  family,  a  baby,  that  for  a  short 
time  completely  turned  the  current  of  conversa- 
tion and  thought  from  the  one  great  and  absorb- 
ing topic. 

"  Did  you  ever,  in  your  day,  Mr.  Prognosis," 
demanded  the  young  mother,  "  see  a  finer  little 
fellow  than  this  one  ?  " 


THE  CRYSTAL   BUTTON.  233 

"  Never,  —  upon  my  word,  never !  '* 

"  Dad,  dad,  dad,"  said  the  baby. 

*'  Why,  he  is  actually  speaking !  "  cried  the 
young  mother. 

"  Mum,  mum,"  continued  the  baby. 

"Don't  you  hear  it?     Say  mamma,  dearest!" 

"  Mum  ma,"  echoed  the  crowing  child. 

The  testimony  of  those  present  was  unani- 
mous that  a  first  step  had  been  taken  in  the 
direction  of  acquiring  the  universal  language. 

Paul's  attention  was  next  attracted  to  the 
fact  that  no  lamps  of  any  kind  were  visible  in 
any  of  the  rooms,  although  they  were  illumi- 
nated as  if  by  full  daylight;  and  Marco  ex- 
plained to  him  that  the  electric  lamps  were  con- 
cealed along  the  lower  edge  of  the  frieze,  but 
that  the  frieze  itself  and  the  ceiling  reflected 
the  light  throughout  the  rooms.  The  finish  of 
the  walls  of  the  drawing-room  afforded  another 
subject  of  conversation.  It  looked  like  porce- 
lain, and  was  chastely  ornamented  in  moulded 
panels,  softly  tinted  with  harmonious  colors,  the 
whole  giving  an  effect  of  great  permanence  as 
well  as  beauty.  The  Professor  now  came  to 
Marco's  assistance,  and  explained  to  his  visitor 
that  the  walls  were  covered  with  sheets  of  opaque 
glass,  set  in  cement,  the  edges  of  the  sheets 
being  turned  down  so  as  to  hold  them  in  place 
with  great   firmness.     The    ornaments   on   the 


234  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

panels  and  mouldings  were  made  separately  and 
fused  on,  and  the  colors  were  absolutely  fast, 
ha  vino-  been  fixed  in  the  furnace. 

"  The  use  of  glass,  then,"  said  Paul,  "  is  by 
no  means  confined  to  j^our  exteriors." 

"  Not  at  all !  We  employ  it  wherever  prac- 
ticable, as  it  insures  cleanliness  as  well  as  per- 
manence, and  is  always  beautiful.  As  I  have 
already  told  you,  this  is  often  spoken  of  as  the 
Diamond  Age,  and  glass  is  its  rejiresentative 
that  we  use  in  architecture." 

Many  exquisite  works  of  art  decorated  the 
drawing-room,  in  which  Paul  manifested  much 
interest.  The  paintings  especially  were  mar- 
vels of  drawing  and  color ;  and  numerous  prod- 
ucts in  metal,  stone,  and  wood  contributed  to 
make  the  room  a  veritable  art  museum. 

"  You  are  evidently  a  lover  of  the  beautiful," 
said  Madam  Prosper.  "  We  have  a  glass  screen 
that  we  prize  highly,  which  I  am  sure  will  inter- 
est you.  Professor^  I  think  you  must  have  for- 
gotten to  show  Mr.  Prognosis  the  screen." 

"True;  but  I  will  immediately  retrieve  the 
fault.'^ 

The  drawing-room  was  divided  into  two  sec- 
tions by  a  wide  archway ;  and  from  one  side,  as 
if  it  were  a  sliding  door,  the  old  gentleman  pro- 
ceeded to  draw  a  pictured  screen,  until  it  filled 
the  entire  open   space.     The  pictures  were  in 


THE    CRYSTAL   BUTTON.  235 

panels,  set  in  a  skeleton  frame  of  metal,  and 
they  struck  Paul  as  being  beyond  comparison 
the  most  unique  and  exquisite  he  had  ever  seen. 
Curtains  were  so  arranged  that  one  picture 
might  be  viewed  while  the  others  were  concealed. 
Upon  close  examination,  the  guest  found  that 
these  pictures  were  in  some  unknown  way  ex- 
ecuted in  glass,  and  that  they  were  transparen- 
cies ;  but  they  had  none  of  the  raw  coloring  of 
stained  glass. 

"  What !  "  he  exclaimed,  "  is  it  possible  that 
these  are  photographs  of  pictures,  and  that  you 
are  now  able  to  photograph  color  as  well  as 
form?" 

"  That  we  can  do,"  responded  the  Professor, 
"  and  in  my  library  you  will  find  portfolios  of 
photographs  in  color  which  are  almost  as  life- 
like as  the  objects  themselves.  But  another 
process  has  been  used  in  this  instance.  The  de- 
signs shown  on  these  glass  panels  were  painted 
by  Artean,  the  greatest  genius  in  pictorial  art, 
and  especially  in  color,  that  the  world  has  thus 
far  known.  The  originals  were  cross -ruled, 
and  the  entire  surface  divided  into  minute  hexa- 
gons. Small  hexagonal  plugs  of  glass,  of  all 
possible  shades  of  color  and  degrees  of  opacit}^ 
were  then  selected,  classified,  numbered,  and  ar- 
ranged in  cases,  much  the  same  as  a  printer's 
tjpes   are   kept.     A   mosaic   picture   was  then 


236  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

formed,  giving  an  effect  as  nearly  as  possible 
like  the  original  painting.  This  was  done  on 
a  bed  of  fire-clay,  held  firmly  in  j^lace  by  an 
iron  casing,  protected  by  clay,  placed  in  a  fur- 
nace, and  fused  by  a  downward  blast  of  hydro- 
gen. By  careful  fusing,  the  colors,  as  you  see, 
have  been  made  to  blend  so  as  to  perfectly 
obscure  the  union  of  the  hexagons  and  leave 
this  solid  sheet  of  glass.  It  was  then  taken 
from  the  furnace,  and  delicately  ground  and 
polished." 

''  The  effect  is  certainly  very  novel  and  charm- 
ing." 

"  Yes ;  and  you  will  observe  that  it  can  be 
seen  with  equal  advantage  by  transmitted  or 
surface  light ;  but  the  effect  is  totally  changed." 

The  Professor  led  his  visitor  to  the  other  side 
of  the  screen,  and  continued :  "  There,  you  will 
notice  that  you  can  see  it  with  the  light  on 
either  or  both  sides,  and  that  an  infinite  variety 
of  effects  is  thus  produced.  Madam  considers 
finest  the  one  I  obtain  by  thus  covering  the  ter- 
restrial objects  with  an  opaque  screen  on  the 
further  side,  and  then  withdrawing  the  light  to 
a  low  point  before  the  face  of  the  picture,  thus 
gradually  lowering  the  degree  of  transmitted 
light.  See !  we  are  now  introduced  to  all  the 
varying  effects  of  sunset  and  twilight,  and  in  a 
manner  wonderfully  true  to  nature.     Now,  the 


THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON.  237 

black  outlines  of  the  hills,  woods,  and  edifices 
stand  out  in  sharp  contrast  against  the  back- 
ground of  evening  sky,  which  is  as  clear  and 
transparent  as  in  nature  itself.  And  now,  when 
the  twilight  is  very  dim,  I  can  increase  the  front 
light  until  we  have  the  effect  of  moonlight. 
Is  it  not  beautiful?  And  we  can  still  further 
vary  the  result  by  interposing  colored  glasses 
before  the  light,  producing  a  red  or  yellow 
sunset,  or  the  bluish  white  of  moonlight.  We 
sometimes  make  such  experiments  to  amuse 
visitors,  and  1  assure  you  I  am  thereby  able  to 
present  quite  a  varied  picture  gallery." 

"  You  have  already  done  that,"  said  Paul, 
"  and  it  is  altogether  a  new  experience  to  one  of 
your  audience." 

Music  was  then  proposed,  and  all  present  pro- 
ceeded to  the  music-room,  where  the  elder  daugh- 
ter seated  herself  before  an  instrument  having 
keys  and  pedals,  that  somewhat  resembled  an 
organ.  "  Is  this  an  organ  or  a  piano  ? "  he 
asked. 

"  We  call  it  an  eolia.  Do  you  play,  Mr. 
Prognosis?  If  so,  please  try,  and  you  will  be 
better  able  than  I  am  to  compare  it  with  the 
instruments  you  have  named." 

With  some  confusion  Paul  seated  himself  on 
the  seat  she  vacated ;  and  in  response  to  the 
earnest  requests  of  all,  he  played  a  simple  adap- 


238  THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON. 

tatioii  of  the  national  hymn,  "America."  To  his 
surprise,  he  found  himself  quite  enchanted  by  his 
own  music.  The  result  was  quite  unexpected. 
Each  chord  gave  forth  a  rich,  mellow  note,  as  of 
a  stroke  followed  by  a  prolonged  tone,  which 
ceased  only  when  the  pressure  was  removed. 
When  he  pressed  a  key  gently,  a  soft  violin 
tone  followed,  without  any  noticeable  stroke ; 
and  when  the  pressure  was  increased,  the  tone 
also  increased,  its  volume  evidently  depending 
upon  the  degree  of  force  employed. 

"  Well,  well !  "  he  exclaimed,  "  you  have  com- 
bined the  organ  and  the  piano,  and  so  perfected 
this  union  of  the  two  that  you  have  given  the 
instrument  expression.     It  has  feeling  now." 

He  repeated  the  same  thought  more  emphati- 
cally after  listening  to  the  wonderful  music  with 
which  the  ladies  entertained  him. 

'^  Can  I  see  the  mechanism  by  which  this 
much-desired  result  of  expression  is  obtained  ?  " 
he  asked,  later  in  the  evening. 

The  Professor  replied  by  uncovering  the 
strings  and  exposing  the  action  to  view.  The 
strings  were  arranged  in  pairs  ;  and,  like  a  piano, 
it  had  hammers,  while,  in  addition,  each  pair  of 
strings  had  a  little  tongue  pressing  up  between 
them,  encased  with  a  soft  cover.  These  tongues 
were  made  to  vibrate  rapidly  by  electrical 
agency,  striking  the  strings  with  more  or  less 


THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON.  239 

force  as  the  current  was  strong  or  light ;  and 
the  strength  of  this  current  was  determined  by 
the  pressure  on  the  key. 

"  I  understand  the  general  principle,"  said 
Paul,  "  and  I  will  not  trouble  you  to  describe 
the  electrical  apparatus  ;  but  please  show  me  the 
slide,  as  I  do  not  understand  how  the  particular 
note  struck  can  be  acted  upon  while  the  others 
are  not,  for  of  course  it  cannot  be  that  all  the 
strings  are  raised  and  lowered  at  once." 

'-'•  Certainly  not ;  but  you  shall  see.  There,  if 
you  will  look  here,  you  will  find  that  each  pair 
of  strings  rest  at  this  point  end  upon  a  smooth 
roller,  slightly  grooved  to  keep  them  in  position. 
This  roller  is  carried  backward  and  forward 
through  a  short  space  by  a  simple  connection 
with  two  pedals,  one  of  which  raises  the  pitch 
and  the  other  lowers  it.  Only  the  note  struck  is 
aif  ected  by  the  pedal.  To  accomplish  this  simply 
and  effectually,  much  time  and  ingenuity  have 
been  expended  upon  it,  but  it  is  now  a  very  per- 
fect house  instrument." 

"It  is  indeed,"  said  Paul.  "  I  do  not  think  I 
fully  understand  the  mechanism ;  but  the  result 
is  certainly  satisfactory." 

"  Now,  if  you  are  ready,"  said  the  Professor, 
"  we  will  take  a  smoke  in  the  library,  and  dis- 
cuss the  subject  we  laid  on  the  table  last  night." 


CHAPTER    XXVIII. 

The  Administration  of  Law. 

As  the  Professor  banded  his  guest  a  cigar,  he 
suddenly  exclaimed  :  "  I  have  it  at  last !  Mr. 
Prognosis,  ever  since  I  first  saw  you,  in  that  sin- 
gular costume  in  which  you  abruptly  presented 
yourself  day  before  yesterday,  you  have  vaguely 
reminded  me  of  some  one  known  before,  and 
familiarly  known ;  but  I  have  been  unable  to 
individualize  your  counterpart.  As  you  rose 
to  take  that  cigar,  the  fact  suddenly  came  to 
me  that  that  counterpart  is  my  old  friend,  Tom 
Glide.  Dear  old  Tom  !  —  he  was  a  schoolmate 
of  mine:  but  I  haven't  seen  him  for  over  forty 
years.  When  we  parted,  I  felt  that  a  large  piece 
of  my  pleasure  in  life  had  gone  with  him  ;  and 
now  —  why,  I  fear  I  have  n't  given  him  a  thought 
for  ten  years.  I  really  must  have  a  word  vvitli 
him  to-night,  if  he  is  alive." 

"  Have  a  word  with  him  ?  But  how  is  that 
possible?  Surely,  you  don't  mean  to  say  that 
you  have  realized  the  wildest  of  dreams  that  pos- 
sessed the  nineteenth  century,  and  developed 
mesmeric  messengers  ?  " 


THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON.  241 

"  Not  at  all.  I  shall  merely  use  human  agen- 
cies of  the  simplest  description.  But  as  the  sys- 
tem is  no  doubt  wholly  new  to  you,  I  will  explain 
it.  In  these  days,  although  the  population  vastly 
exceeds  that  of  your  time,  every  human  being  is 
a  matter  of  consequence  to  the  general  public  as 
well  as  to  himself,  and  the  public  has  taken  means 
of  identifying  its  units.  Every  person,  on  arriv- 
ing at  manhood  or  womanhood,  is  assigned  what 
is  known  as  a  '  census  signature,'  —  so  called  be- 
cause its  adoption  grew  out  of  the  demands  of 
the  enumeration  of  the  people  each  decade.  This 
'census  signature'  is  made  up  of  letters  and 
numerals  like  an  algebraic  formula,  and  denotes 
the  city  or  town  of  the  person's  nativity,  the 
name  of  his  family,  and  the  year  of  his  birth. 
No  two  signatures  are  ever  precisely  alike,  so 
that  identity  is  assured  ;  and  all  such  signatures 
are  carefully  registered,  and  copies  are  kept  at 
certain  stations  for  ready  reference  by  the  pub- 
lic. When  a  person  changes  his  place  of  resi- 
dence, the  law  requires  that  he  shall  register 
at  the  proper  office  his  '  census  signature '  and 
place  of  destination.  He  thus  leaves  behind  him 
a  thread  that  may  be  speedily  followed,  even 
after  the  lapse  of  many  years.  We  will  now  try 
the  experiment,  and  see  whether  we  can  obtain 
a  response  from  Tom  Glide.  His  signature, 
as  it  appears  in  this  old  address-book  of  mine,  is 


242  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

*  A,  m,  M,  220,  L,  22.'  Here,  Marco,  I  wish 
you  would  be  so  kind  as  to  take  this  over  to  the 
nearest  census  office,  and  ask  them  to  look  uj)  the 
respondent  and  jjut  me  in  communication  with 
him,  —  to-night,  if  possible,  though  the  present 
excitement  may  make  this  inexpedient.  Or  you 
might  first  attempt  to  telegraph  direct  from  here. 
If  he  is  still  alive  and  the  means  of  communica- 
tion are  all  open,  we  ought  to  be  able  to  see  him 
in  an  hour  or  so." 

"  See  him,  Professor  ?  "  asked  Paul  wonder- 
ingly. 

"  Yes ;  that  was  not  a  lapsus  linguce.  Have 
a  little  patience,  Mr.  Prognosis,  and  you  may 
j^erhaps  also  have  the  pleasure  of  seeing  Tom 
Glide." 

"  Glide  was  my  wife's  maiden  name,"  re- 
marked Paul  absently.  "  Well,  sir,"  he  added, 
"  if  my  privilege  still  holds  good,  I  will  begin 
our  evening's  talk  by  asking  you  how  it  came 
about  that  such  a  city  as  this,  and  such  mar- 
velous j>ublic  works  as  you  and  Marco  have 
shown  me,  were  constructed.  Possibly,  in  my 
day,  the  world  did  business  on  a  very  limited 
capital  as  compared  with  that  you  possess ;  but 
if  cities  and  public  works  like  these  now  abound 
all  over  the  world,  caj^ital  alone  cannot  explain 
their  existence.  A  new  kind  or  quality  of  pub- 
lic  spirit   must   be   behind   all.      I   refer   par- 


THE    CRYSTAL   BUTTON.  243 

ticularly  to  the  Peace  Monument  and  the  Old 
Bridge,  which  must  have  cost  vast  expenditures 
of  money  and  time.  The  form  of  government 
inaugurated  by  the  Costorian  movement  you 
have  described  would,  I  should  think,  involve 
considerations  of  economy  that  would  forbid  all 
works  where  decoration  forms  a  leading  fea- 
ture ;  and  under  such  a  truly  democratic  con- 
dition of  affairs  as  you  now  appear  to  have,  it 
can  hardly  be  possible  that  private  means  can 
effect  such  results." 

"  You  are  right,"  said  the  Professor,  "  as  far 
as  you  go.  But  we  must  go  back  further.  First, 
you  must  understand  that,  at  the  time  of  the 
proclamation  of  universal  peace,  the  various  gov- 
ernments of  the  world  possessed  an  enormous 
amount  of  property  in  the  way  of  war-ships, 
armaments,  forts,  arsenals,  and  the  like.  These 
had  been  sustained  and  augmented  by  heavy 
taxes  on  the  people.  Moreover,  great  numbers 
of  the  people  were  maintained  in  compulsory 
idleness  in  the  standing  armies.  With  the  in- 
auguration of  peace,  one  of  the  first  questions 
that  arose  was,  what  to  do  with  the  war  mate- 
rial, that  was  now  useless,  and  what  to  do  with 
the  soldiers,  whose  education  had  hardly  fitted 
them  for  the  pursuits  of  peace,  —  indeed,  had 
unfitted  them  to  immediately  wear  the  yoke  of 
individual  responsibility.     It  was  finally  deter- 


2i4  THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON. 

mined  to  let  the  usual  revenues  accumulate  for 
a  time,  and  to  sell  all  government  property  that 
was  now  useless  ;  and  with  the  vast  fund  thus 
supplied,  the  Government  employed  the  armies 
about  to  be  disbanded,  without  wholly  relaxing 
the  former  military  rules,  in  building  a  variety 
of  works  of  public  utility  and  monuments  in 
commemoration  of  the  beneficent  peace  enact- 
ment. But  this  did  not  begin  to  exhaust  the 
fund.  Universities  of  learning  were  established 
and  richly  endowed,  extraordinary  works  of  in- 
ternal improvement  were  undertaken,  art  re- 
ceived an  unprecedented  stimulus,  and  all  indus- 
trial pursuits  were  marked  by  healthful  activity. 
And  still,  in  spite  of  steady  decrease  in  taxes, 
the  fund  as  steadily  increased.  Then,  as  Gov- 
ernment and  people  drew  closer  in  their  mutual 
relations,  the  interests  of  the  two  began  slowly 
to  be  merged.  Even  in  your  day,  it  was  one 
of  the  signs  of  the  times  that  small  interests 
were  beginning  to  be  absorbed  by  corporations, 
and  those  by  giant  monopolies.  By  slow  and 
peaceful  steps  the  same  movement  progressed, 
until  the  Government  itself  came  into  possession 
of  such  industries  as  were  of  peculiarly  public 
interest,  including  all  means  of  communication 
and  transportation,  and  life  and  fire  insurance ; 
and  the  land  question  was  settled  in  the  same 
manner." 


THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON.  245 

"  Certainly,  the  fund  must  speedily  have  been 
exhausted  in  that  process." 

"  Only  temporarily,  for  the  investment  proved 
remunerative ;  and  later  on,  the  surplus  still 
further  increased.  The  Government  simply  as- 
sumed all  responsibility,  and  guaranteed  a  cer- 
tain rate  of  interest  to  former  proprietors  for  a 
certain  period.  No  capital  at  all  was  required, 
excepting  sufficient  to  meet  the  interest  account, 
and  this  was  covered  many  times  ov^er  by  the 
returns." 

"  Did  not  this  result  in  great  injustice  to  in- 
dividuals ?  " 

"  Not  at  all.  If  it  had,  the  movement  would 
not  have  succeeded,  for  the  public  conscience 
had  been  quickened  by  Costor  to  regard  truth 
and  justice  as  foundation-stones  in  erecting  the 
new  structure  of  society.  Of  course  the  process 
was  a  slow  one,  and  it  continued  through  sev- 
eral generations  ;  but  the  first  step  was  hardest. 
The  others  followed  more  or  less  naturally. 
Under  Grant's  presidency,  it  seemed  perfectly 
proper  and  just  that  the  Government  should 
conduct  the  postal  service.  Was  it  any  less 
proper  and  just  that  it  should  conduct  the 
telegraph,  telephone,  railway,  and  express  ser- 
vice ?  And  was  n't  it  equally  desirable  that 
the  Government  should  sufficiently  control  the 
supply  and  distribution  of  food  products,  that 


246  THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON. 

no  man  or  clique  of  men  should  be  able  to  put 
the  hand  on  these  and  say,  '  This  wheat  is  mine, 
and  no  man  shall  eat  of  it  until  he  has  paid 
me  my  price  '  ?  That  is  not  an  exaggeration  of 
what  used  to  happen  in  the  nineteenth  century, 
if  we  correctly  understand  the  records." 

"  I  fear  they  are  only  too  clear.  But  how 
about  the  land  ?  " 

"  That  was  absorbed  by  the  Government  in 
just  the  same  manner,  by  guaranteeing  interest 
to  previous  owners  and  re-letting  on  equitable 
terms.  At  this  point,  the  best  skill  of  the  best 
jurists  of  the  world  was  required ;  but  long  be- 
fore the^  scheme  of  leasing  was  perfected,  it  w^as 
recognized  as  far  more  just  than  the  former 
method  of  land-tenure  laws,  which  permitted 
individuals  and  corporations  to  monopolize  a 
large  portion  of  the  world's  most  desirable  dis- 
tricts for  their  own  benefit  or  amusement.  As 
we  now  look  upon  it,  air,  water,  sunshine,  and 
land  are  peculiarly  the  people's  own,  and  it  is 
with  great  difficulty  that  we  can  understand  a 
state  of  society  in  which  individuals  were  per- 
mitted to  exercise  any  control  over  them." 

"  And  you  say  that  all  these  changes  were 
made  peaceably  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  they  could  hardly  have  been  made 
otherwise.  The  work  was  a  slow  one ;  it  had  to 
be  done  one  step  at  a  time,  and  public  opinion 


THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON.  247 

was  required  to  time  each  step.  Whenever 
public  opinion  halted  in  giving  its  approval  to  a 
proposed  step,  the  movement  halted  Any  vio- 
lence at  any  stage  of  the  proceedings,  or  any 
attempt  to  make  unhealthy  haste,  would  have 
retarded  the  movement  indefinitely.  It  grew  as 
a  tree,  each  limb  of  which  naturally  stretches 
out  new  limbs,  and  each  new  limb  pushes  forth 
twiofs  and  leaves.  The  trunk  of  this  tree  was 
established  by  John  Costor,  and  its  root  was 
truth." 

''  This  was  certainly,"  said  Paul,  "  a  great 
stride  in  the  evolution  of  social  science." 

"Yes;  it  is  now  referred  to  as  the  'Transi- 
tion Period,'  as  distinguished  from  the  '  Experi- 
mental Period,'  to  which  you  belonged." 

"  And  now,"  said  Paul,  "  if  your  mind  is  not 
too  much  taken  up  by  the  near  approach  of  the 
great  event,  let  me  remind  you  of  your  promise 
to  tell  me  something  about  your  present  form 
of  government,  and  especially  of  your  law  sys- 
tem." 

"  As  to  the  great  event,''  said  the  Professor, 
"  that  will  only  speed  my  tongue  in  the  telling. 
To  speak  the  truth,  according  to  the  behest  of 
this  crystal  button  on  my  lapel,  —  which,  you 
may  have  noticed,  I  removed  for  a  few  moments 
during  dinner,  —  I  must  confess  that,  for  several 
days  past,  I  have  felt  something  of  that  nervous- 


248  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

ness  that  probably  always  precedes  the  termina- 
tion of  some  great  work  on  which  one  has  long 
been  eno'a2:ed.  It  was  for  this  reason  that  I 
preferred  to  have  Marco  accompany  you  to-day. 
Madam  alone  knows  my  anxiety ;  and  by  her 
advice,  I  have  taken  a  long  nap  this  afternoon. 
I  therefore  feel  perfectly  rested  and  in  a  mood 
for  conversation.  You  see,  my  reputation  as  an 
accurate  mathematician  depends  largely  on  the 
occurrences  of  this  night.  I  have  placed  myself 
on  record  in  the  most  unequivocal  terms  as  to 
the  course  this  comet  will  follow.  All  other 
leading  astronomers  are  also  on  record.  To- 
night the  test  will  be  applied.  I  must  also  con- 
fess to  you  that  there  are  pessimists,  even  in 
this  forty-ninth  century,  who  do  not  take  the 
brightest  views  of  to-morrow,  but  who,  on  the 
contrary,  boldly  prophesy  that  there  will  be  no 
to-morrow.  For  this  reason,  I  have  preferred  to 
have  all  my  family  with  me  here  to-night,  and 
have  declined  to  be  present  with  my  scientific 
co-workers  at  the  Meridian  Peak  Observatory, 
where,  as  you  saw,  the  most  elaborate  prepara- 
tions have  been  made  for  observing  and  record- 
ing every  phenomenon  of  to-night.  My  teles(;ope 
on  the  terrace,  which  you  will  see  presently,  is  a 
comparatively  small  one ;  but  I  prefer  to  have 
my  family  about  me  in  case  —  in  case  —  But 
let  us  now  give  our  whole  attention  for  a  few 


THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON.  249 

moments  to  the  general  structure  of  our  govern- 
ment. 

*'In  tbe  first  place,  please  understand  that 
the  PTOvernment  of  the  continent  of  North 
America  is  merely  an  integral  part  of  the  great 
structure  which  composes  the  world's  govern- 
ment, just  as  one  of  your  States  was  of  the 
United  States  of  Washington.  All  are  based 
on  precisely  the  same  laws  and  principles;  all 
are  based  on  truth,  which  includes  honesty,  sim- 
plicity, and  -efficiency.  In  our  law-courts,  for 
instance,  we  no  longer  have  to  trust  our  interests 
to  more  or  less  accidental  verdicts  of  irrespon- 
sible juries ;  we  no  longer  blush  at  the  special 
pleading  of  counsel  and  the  desperate  efforts  of 
men  of  eminent  ability  profaning  their  position 
to  defeat  the  ends  of  justice  by  their  arts  of  per- 
suasion. We  no  longer  listen  to  impassioned  ap- 
peals to  the  emotions  in  behalf  of  known  crim- 
inals,—  even  criminals  who  have  admitted  their 
crimes,  —  or  to  the  badgering  and  brow^beat- 
ins:  and  character-blackening  of  innocent  wdt- 
nesses.  You  will  easily  understand  that  much 
has  been  accomplished  since  your  day,  when  I 
tell  you  that  we  now  have  no  lawyers,  no  plead- 
ings, no  juries,  no  appeals,  no  exceptions  taken, 
no  pardons,  and  no  favors  on  account  of  wealth 
or  social  position.  Justice  to-day  is  indeed 
blind,  as  you  used  to  portray  her." 


250  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

"  But  how,  then,  are  your  laws  administered  ? 
—  for  you  certainly  must  have  laws,  and  very 
elaborate  ones,  that  need  frequent  exposition." 

"  I  will  give  you  an  example,  to  illustrate  the 
mode  of  procedure  in  a  civil  suit.  John  Doe 
charges  Richard  Roe  with  conspiracy  in  a  cer- 
tain business  transaction,  by  which,  it  is  alleged, 
said  Doe  has  been  defrauded.  He  goes  to  the 
Board  of  Examiners,  which  consists  of  three, 
five,  or  seven  men,  according  to  the  importance  of 
the  case.  These  examiners  summon  the  parties 
in  dispute,  listen  to  the  statements  of  both,  take 
evidence,  and  very  carefully  gather  all  facts  in 
the  case,  which  are  committed  to  phonograph 
• —  to  three  phonographs  —  and  distributed  to 
three  independent  boards  of  judges  for  decision. 
The  names  of  the  contestants  are  not  known  to 
the  judges,  and  the  latter  are  usually  far  re- 
moved from  the  locality  of  the  interested  parties. 

"  When  the  decisions  of  the  three  boards  are 
returned  to  the  proper  office,  the  three  packets 
are  opened  in  the  presence  of  the  contestants, 
and  two  out  of  three  concurring  decide  the 
case  beyond  appeal,  unless  new  facts  afterward 
come  to  light.  The  examiners  have  the  power 
to  dismiss  trivial  complaints  as  unworthy  of 
notice,  and  they  also  perform  a  valuable  service 
in  correcting  errors  in  preliminary  papers,  and 
oftentimes   as   arbitrators  in  effecting  compro- 


THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON.  251 

mises  between  those  who  would  otherwise  invoke 
the  court.  Unlike  the  old-time  lawyers,  they  are 
in  truth  legal  advisers ;  and  they  have  no  temp- 
tation to  pervert  the  law  or  to  delay  it  for  their 
own  emolument.  All  examiners  and  judges  are 
educated  for  the  offices  they  hold,  and  have  been 
selected  from  students  in  the  universities  by  rea- 
son of  their  special  fitness,  both  as  to  abilities 
and  temj)erament,  to  do  justice  to  their  lofty 
calling.  The  priests  of  old  were  not  more  ven- 
erated than  these  men ;  and,  indeed,  their  posi- 
tion and  its  duties  are  not  dissimilar  from  those 
of  priests,  excepting  that  the  code  they  give  in- 
struction from  is  human. 

"You  will  notice  that,  by  the  mode  of  pro- 
cedure I  have  described,  no  outside  influence  of 
any  kind  can  reach  the  real  tribunal,  as  all  con- 
testants are  designated  by  names  applied  ac- 
cording to  a  regular  formula,  which  is  simply 
an  amplification  of  the  John  Doe  and  Eichard 
Roe  that  have  figured  in  law  for  so  many  cen- 
turies. In  obscure  cases,  new  evidence  may  be 
demanded  by  the  judges,  or  the  parties  may 
have  leave  to  withdraw  the  suit;  but  if  John 
Doe  has  a  decision  in  his  favor,  then  Kichard 
Roe  must  make  restitution  in  full  and  pay  costs 
of  trial.  The  costs,  however,  are  very  small,  as 
all  officers  are  paid  by  the  Government,  and  the 
testimony  is  caught  direct  by  the  phonograph, 


252  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

instead  of  being  laboriously  taken  down  by  ste- 
nography, and  then  copied  by  hand  or  the  print- 
ing-press. With  a  few  slight  variations,  this 
same  system  is  used  for  all  kinds  of  cases  that 
are  brought  before  the  Department  of  Justice." 

"  Small  pickings  here,"  said  Paul,  ""  for 
members  of  the  bar.  Sergeant  Buzzfuzz  would 
hardly  find  scope  for  plying  his  vocation,  and 
his  moving  appeals  would  sound  sadly  out  of 
place." 

"  The  laws  themselves,"  continued  the  Profes- 
sor, "  are  as  simple  as  their  administration.  No 
new  ones  have  been  enacted  for  several  centu- 
ries past,  but  those  pronounced  just  by  the  most 
learned  judges  were  long  ago  codified,  and  the 
code  now  in  use  throughout  the  world  may  be 
called  the  '  Code  of  Common  Sense,  founded  on 
Truth.'  Moreover,  the  penalties  for  criminal 
acts  are  sure  to  fall  upon  the  offender,  if  con- 
victed. They  are  sometimes  severe,  but  they 
are  felt  to  be  proper  and  necessary,  and  they 
can  never  be  set  aside  at  the  caprice  of  any  one 
claiming  powers  superior  to  those  of  the  judges. 
They  are  so  clearly  determined  and  executed  on 
a  basis  of  justice  that  they  are  even  respected 
by  those  who  suffer  them." 

"  But,"  exclaimed  Paul  excitedly,  "  if  you 
make  no  new  laws,  you  have  no  law-makers,  and 
no  need  of  them ;   and  if  no  law-makers,  then 


THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON.  253 

no  legislative  bodies ;  and  if  no  legislatures, 
then  no  elections,  no  voting,  no  parties,  no  poli- 
tics, no  politicians !  " 

"  Your  deductions  are  correct,"  said  the  Pro- 
fessor, smiling ;  "  and  you  may  extend  your  list 
of  defunct  officials  by  adding  generals,  admirals, 
custom-house  inspectors,  kings,  emperors,  or 
even  presidents ;  for,  in  the  ancient  sense,  there 
are  now  no  well-defined  boundaries  for  official 
domain  other  than  municipal." 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

The   Government  of  Settled  Forms. 

At  this  point,  Madam  entered  the  room,  and 
with  her  own  hands  served  the  gentlemen  with 
coffee.  "  The  whole  world  is  in  the  open  air," 
she  said.  "  Will  you  join  us  soon  on  the 
porch  ?  " 

"  Very  soon,  dear,"  answered  the  Professor, 
as  she  retired. 

*'You  do  not  add,"  said  Paul,  "that  you  no 
longer  have  any  governments,  although  I  almost 
expected  to  hear  you  append  that  to  your  list 
of  outlived  institutions.  Please  tell  me,  have 
you  a  government  or  not  ?  " 

The  Professor  smiled,  and  then,  after  a  short 
pause  that  lent  emphasis  to  what  followed,  he 
added  seriously  :  "  Yes,  Mr.  Prognosis,  we  in- 
deed have  a  government  —  the  simplest,  the 
strongest,  the  most  effective,  the  most  enduring 
government  that  the  world  has  thus  far  known, 
which  has  been  slowly  evolved  out  of  the  needs 
of  the  people.  Yet  if  you  should  seek  for  its 
head,  in  the  person  of  a  single  man,  you  would 


THE    CRYSTAL   BUTTON.  255 

find  none,  for  there  is  none.  This  is  a  govern- 
ment of  established  forms.  These  forms  time 
has  fixed  inflexibly  in  the  minds  and  consciences 
of  the  people.  All  the  methods  of  administra- 
tion have  been  carefully  considered,  and  gradu- 
allv  shorn  of  objectionable  features  ;  and,  so  far 
as  human  wisdom  can  provide,  they  are  the 
best  possible  forms  suitable  to  existing  circum- 
stances. To  distinguish  it  from  all  predeces- 
sors, this  is  called  '  The  Government  of  Settled 
Forms.' " 

"  I  begin  to  understand,"  said  Paul :  "  the  fit- 
test survive,  in  the  forms  of  law  and  common 
usage,  as  well  as  with  plants  and  animals.  But 
what  a  vast  army  of  civilians  you  must  have  dis- 
banded in  the  process  —  greater,  perhaps,  than 
in  case  of  the  armies  and  navies.  What,  in  the 
name  of  gentility,  is  left  for  the  poor  fellows 
who  have  no  money,  and  who  really  need  a  com- 
fortable position,  with  a  good  fat  salary,  and  lit- 
tle or  nothing  to  do  ?  Something  of  this  kind 
was  a  prime  necessity  in  my  time.  I  recall  ar- 
mies of  blind  tinkers  who  infested  our  state 
capitals  and  even  our  national  capital  —  blind 
as  bats  to  demands  of  public  service,  but  sharp 
enough  in  self-seeking  ;  everlastingly  tinkering 
the  laws,  repealing  the  good,  enacting  the  bad ; 
forever  puncturing  the  good  old  Government 
kettle   for  the  express  purpose   of   patching   it 


256  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

with  baser  metal.  Think,  too,  of  oratory,  —  how 
that  must  have  suffered  !  No  more  occasion  for 
those  splendid  pleas  of  the  lawyers  who  some- 
times chained  the  wrapt  attention  of  the  court 
for  weeks  at  a  time,  in  their  attempts  to  so  mis- 
represent or  misinterpret  law  and  justice  that 
neither  should  by  any  chance  be  recognizable  by 
equity.  Think,  too,  of  the  buncombe  speeches 
delivered  in  Congress,  which  so  amused  the  na- 
tion by  manner  that  their  utter  lack  of  matter 
was  forgiven ;  and  the  eloquent  stump  speeches 
of  the  politicians,  so  filled  with  sparkling  wit  and 
spicy  stories  that  they  often  succeeded  in  disguis- 
ing the  painful  fact  that  the  utterer  of  such 
views  deserved  horsewhipping  rather  than  ap- 
plause. It  is  sad  —  very  sad  !  "  he  concluded 
reflectively,  but  with  an  expression  of  great  sat- 
isfaction. 

The  Professor  regarded  Paul  with  an  amused 
twinkle  in  his  eyes  :  "  Yes,  it  is  true  that  many 
former  occupations  are  gone ;  but  some  are  still 
ieft  —  enough  to  occupy  all  the  time  and  thought 
of  our  best  thinkers  and  workers.  I  assure  you 
there  is  no  lack  of  work  in  these  days.  The 
only  difference  now  is,  that  we  all  lend  a  hand 
in  doing  the  necessary  work,  and  we  actually 
accomplish  what  we  undertake,  instead  of  play- 
ing with  it.  The  public  service  still  has  its 
coveted  positions  to  offer,  but  they  are  no  sine- 


THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON.  257 

cures.  They  are  only  reached  through  the  high> 
way  of  a  long  course  of  preparatory  experience  ; 
and  they  are  only  held  by  those  who  give  ample 
and  constant  evidence  that  they  are  capable  of 
filling  them  and  are  faithful  to  their  responsi- 
bilities. Arbitrary  appointment  or  dismissal  at 
the  caprice  of  a  person  totally  unacquainted  with 
the  official  involved  or  with  the  duties  of  his  of- 
fice, as  we  read  was  common  in  your  day,  we 
should  consider  a  gross  insult  to  the  common 
sense  of  the  people,  as  well  as  an  infringement 
of  the  simplest  rules  of  government.  Our  rep- 
resentatives are  what  the  name  implies  :  they 
simply  represent  the  best  talent  that  is  avail- 
able for  the  office,  —  talent  that  has  been  spe- 
cially chosen,  cultivated,  and  trained  for  the  pur- 
pose of  adapting  it  to  the  duties  of  that  particu- 
lar office.  Public  service  is  now  a  career  of  the 
highest  honor,  and  every  public  servant  glories 
in  the  inscription  of  his  badge  of  office,  which 
bears  the  words:  'I  serve.'  Positions  of  re- 
sponsibility are  no  longer  subject  to  the  acci- 
dents of  a  capricious  popular  vote,  which,  as  I 
study  the  records,  seldom  stumbled  upon  firm 
ground  until  it  had  so  woefully  wandered  into 
the  bog  that  it  must  turn  back  or  be  engulfed. 
Please  understand  that,  in  this  scientific  age,  we 
leave  just  as  little  as  possible  to  accident,  or  to 
the  individual   judgment  of  any  human  being. 


258  TUE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON. 

We  arm  hiui  with  proper  authority,  when  he  has 
proved  himself  worthy  of  it,  but  we  also  arm 
him  with  ample  knowledge  of  his  duties  and  the 
prestige  of  settled  and  recognized  forms,  vvhich 
are  in  reality  merely  the  crystallized  experience 
of  the  past.  The  Government  of  Settled  Forms 
is  very  simple,  and  needs  no  tinkering.  It  is 
universal,  having  been  accepted  by  all  nations. 
It  knows  nothing  of  the  uncertainties  of  law- 
making, and  I  am  glad  to  tell  you  that  it 
knows  very  little  of  law- breaking,  for  law-break- 
ing is  no  longer  amusing  or  profitable  —  no 
longer  honorable." 

"  But  neither  was  it  in  the  nineteenth  cen- 
tury." 

"Are  you  sure  of  that?  If  so,  then  your 
public  journals  must  have  sadly  misrepresented 
the  condition  of  things.  They  ring  the  changes 
up  and  down  the  full  gamut  of  possible  law- 
breaking,  and  they  seem  to  prove  conclusively 
that  your  rich  men  and  your  men  high  in  office 
usually  attained  their  positions  through  paths 
more  or  less  crooked,  and  consequently  more 
or  less  opposed  to  law,  which  means  rectitude," 

"  That  is  only  too  true.  And  yet.  Professor, 
the  Government  of  the  United  States  was  the 
best  in  tlie  world." 

"  That  also  was  true,  and  it  was  true  even 
in  your  time.      But  it  had  one  serious  defect. 


THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON.  259 

It  was  well  adapted  to  a  small,  homogeneous, 
educated,  and  law-abiding  community,  where 
the  majority  could  be  depended  ujDon  to  repre- 
sent intelligence  and  virtue.  Mere  majorities, 
mere  numerical  strength,  —  this  means  nothing, 
of  itself.  It  may  mean  the  voice  of  vice,  or, 
what  is  nearly  as  bad,  indifference  or  ignorance. 
Such  it  finally  came  to  mean,  when  the  pros- 
perity of  your  country  invited  to  its  open  doors 
the  adventurers  and  outcasts  of  the  rest  of  the 
world,  who,  with  their  countless  languages,  con- 
flicting customs  and  religions,  and  minds  wholly 
untrained  to  the  duties  and  responsibilities  of 
their  new  position,  produced  the  most  medley 
and  rabble  population  that  any  government  ever 
attempted  to  control.  And  the  reins  of  govern- 
ment were  placed  in  the  hands  of  these  debased 
majorities.  My  dear  Mr.  Prognosis,  the  experi- 
ment was  as  futile  as  it  was  philanthropic,  and 
results  so  proved  it.  The  time  came  when  the 
sacred  freedom  of  the  ballot  had  to  be  protected 
by  more  and  more  stringent  laws,  until  the  bal- 
ance of  power  could  be  assured  to  the  saving 
minority  who  knew  right  from  wrong  and  lib- 
erty from  license.  The  noble  principles  of  its 
founders  were  established  on  truth,  and  they 
have  consequently  outlived  all  buffets  of  for- 
tune, and  are  engrafted  more  or  less  on  our  pre- 
sent system  ;  but  they  required  the  exercise  of 


260  THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON. 

wisdom  in  their  application.  The  history  of 
your  early  government  is  very  instructive,  and 
the  world  has  profited  by  it  in  many  ways  ;  but 
it  is  a  remarkable  fact  that  the  most  highly 
commended  provisions  of  your  first  successful 
experiment  in  constitutional  government  should 
have  proved  its  weak  points  in  practice,  permit- 
ting those  who  had  been  brutalized  by  want  and 
tyranny  in  other  countries  to  turn  its  dignity 
to  derision.  As  we  now  look  back,  it  seems 
probable  that  only  Costor,  with  his  gospel  of 
truth,  prevented  its  disruption  and  downfall  in 
his  day. 

"  But  all  difficulties  of  the  past,  so  far  as  gov- 
ernment is  concerned,  are  now  happily  ended, 
and  rendered  impossible  hereafter  by  the  simple 
operation  of  the  Government  of  Settled  Forms. 
There  can  be  no  general  disturbance  of  the  pub- 
lic in  these  days,  for  the  simple  reason  that  edu- 
cation of  an  advanced  type  is  now  universal,  all 
men  and  women  are  usefully  employed,  and 
there  is  no  school  of  poverty  or  vice  for  develop- 
ing a  discontented  class.  Moreover,  the  popula- 
tion has  again  become  homogeneous,  with  com- 
mon customs,  needs,  language,  religion,  aims, 
ambitions.  If  we  were  called  upon  now  to  trust 
the  decision  of  momentous  questions  to  the  nod 
of  majorities,  we  could  safely  do  so ;  but  there 
is  no  longer  any  such  need.     The  initial  ques- 


THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON.  261 

tions  have  been  determined  in  tlie  stormy  past. 
We  are  now  enjoying  the  results,  and  peacefully 
developing  details. 

"  I  have  explained  the  workings  of  the  Depart- 
ment of  Justice.  The  other  elements  of  our  gov- 
ernment may  be  classed  as  the  departments  of 
Education,  Public  Health,  Agriculture,  Meteo- 
rology, and  Public  Works.  These  are  general 
in  character,  and  the  sub-departments  are  local 
in  their  operation,  but  under  the  direction  of  Di- 
vision Councils,  who  in  turn  are  guided  by  the 
decisions  of  the  Grand  Council  of  the  World. 

"  The  duties  of  the  Department  of  Education 
are  obvious,  and  need  no  explanation.  That  of 
Public  Health  has  absolute  control  of  everything 
pertaining  to  the  sanitary  condition  of  the  peo- 
ple, such  as  the  purification  of  rivers,  water  sup- 
ply, disposition  of  refuse  and  its  useful  employ- 
ment, and  the  location  and  character  of  all 
places  of  habitation. 

"  The  Department  of  Agriculture  determines 
the  amount  of  seed  to  be  sown  each  year,  and 
the  number  of  animals  to  be  raised,  to  meet  the 
requirements  of  the  world.  This  department 
maintains  the  food  conservatories  of  which  I 
have  already  spoken,  which  are  always  amply 
supplied  with  a  surplus,  to  compensate  for  short 
crops.  In  short,  its  duty  is  to  see  that  the  world 
has  plenty  to  eat. 


262        THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

"  The  Department  of  Meteorology  determines 
the  proportion  of  forest  growth  to  tillage  land, 
and  indicates  to  the  Department  of  Public 
Works  means  of  imj^roving  the  climate,  and,  to 
some  extent,  of  equalizing  the  rainfall.  You  are 
probably  not  aware  of  the  fact,  but  we  are  now 
able,  by  electrical  disturbance  on  a  large  scale,  to 
artificially  produce  a  local  shower ;  and  there  is 
good  reason  to  suppose  that  we  may  some  time 
learn  how  to  control  supplies  of  moisture  in  the 
upper  strata  of  the  atmosphere  with  almost  the 
same  assurance  that  we  now  look  to  the  depths 
of  the  earth,  through  driven  tubes,  for  all  sup- 
plies of  water  used  for  domestic  purposes.  You 
will  readily  understand  that,  with  our  present 
population,  our  rivers  and  lakes,  even  under  the 
most  stringent  precautions,  could  not  safely  be 
depended  upon  to  fill  this  need.  Even  in  your 
day  a  considerable  number  of  prevailing  diseases 
were  unquestionably  due  to  the  use  of  impure 
water.  Your  scientists  understood  this,  but  your 
public  servants  apparently  made  little  use  of  the 
knowledge.  Men  of  the  very  highest  attain- 
ments are  now  engaged  in  this  department  of 
the  public  service  ;  and  their  w^ork,  wdiich  is 
comprehensive,  has  already  produced  results  of 
the  greatest  importance  to  our  physical  well-be- 
ing." 


CHAPTER  XXX. 
Money. 

Marco  now  entered,  and  introduced  a  sudden 
turn  in  the  current  of  conversation  by  announ- 
ciiie-  that  Tom  Glide  had  been  heard  from,  and 
that  he  was  now  living  in  the  metropolis  of  Vol- 
vec,  on  the  Amazon. 

"  I  was  obliged  to  wait,"  said  Marco,  "  until 
he  finished  his  dinner ;  but  he  is  now  at  leisure, 
and  says  he  is  anticipating  great  pleasure  in  re- 
newing acquaintance  with  an  old  school-friend. 
The  circuit  is  open,  and  you  will  find  all  pre- 
pared. Mr.  Glide  presents  his  compliments, 
and  he  is  now  ready  to  see  you  and  to  be  seen." 

Paul  heard  these  last  words  with  open- 
mouthed  wonder,  but,  without  speaking,  followed 
the  Professor  into  a  small  room  adjoining  the 
library.  The  latter  advanced  to  a  box,  open  at 
one  end  ;  and,  after  so  adjusting  the  electric 
light  as  to  bear  strongly  on  his  own  face,  he  be- 
gan to  talk  into  the  box.  Meanwhile,  Marco  di- 
rected Paul  to  look  over  the  Professor's  shoulder ; 
and  he  then  saw,  on  a  glass  screen,  the  image 


264  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

of  a  man's  face,  just  as  it  appears  in  a  pliotog"- 
raj^her's  camera.  It  was  Mr.  Glide,  down  in 
South  America.  Paul  distinctly  saw  Mr.  Glide's 
eager  smile  of  greeting-,  heard  him  speak,  and 
then  listened  as  the  two  friends  talked  over  old 
times.  He  also  heard  Mr.  Glide  ask  the  name 
of  the  gentleman  who  was  looking  over  the 
other's  shoulder  ;  at  which  remark,  not  knowing 
what  else  to  do,  Paul  nodded  to  the  pictured 
face,  and  received  a  similar  oTeetinsr  in  return. 

*'  Why !  that  looks  wonderfully  like  my  sis- 
ter's husband,  Paul  Prognosis,"  exclaimed  the 
face  in  the  box. 

Both  Paul  and  the  Professor  gave  responsive 
exclamations  of  astonis|iment,  and  Marco  stum- 
bled over  Smudge  in  his  eagerness  to  reach  the 
instrument  to  hear  more.  Before  there  was  an 
opportunity  to  demand  explanation,  a  confused 
murmur  of  voices  was  heard,  and  a  sharp  ^'  Be 
quiet ! "  followed  by  the  words,  "  Please  come 
here  a  moment.  Dr.  Clarkson.  I  want  to  have 
the  pleasure  of  making  you  acquainted  with  my 
old  friend.  Professor  Prosper,  and  also  with  a 
friend  of  his  —  Excuse  me,  I  do  not  know  his 
name." 

Then  came  another  interruption,  followed  by 
an  abrupt  ''  Beg  pardon,  but  I  find  I  '11  have 
to  cut  short  this  pleasure,  in  order  to  join  my 
family  and  be  in  time  for  the  comet  display.    Of 


THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 


265 


course  you  are  also  interested  in  that  above  all 
things,  just  now.  Philip,  I  shall  ring  you  up 
again  in  a  day  or  two.  Do  the  same  by  me,  — 
soon  and  often.     Good-night,  old  boy !  " 

'^  But  Tom,  —  just  a  moment !  "  cried  the  I'ro- 

tessor 

"Just  a  moment,  Mr.  Glide!"  echoed  Paul 

still  more  excitedly. 

But  it  was  too  late.  The  circuit  had  already 
been  broken,  leaving  Mr.  Glide  in  South  Amer- 
ica,  and  the  new  mystery  unsolved.        ^ 

"  Very  strange  !  "  said  Paul.    "  How  is  that  to 

be  explained  ? "  ,     ,      d 

"I'm  quite  in  the  dark,"  answered^  the  Pro. 
fessor.     "  I  look  to  you  for  a  solution." 

"  But  I  was  never  less  capable  of  solving  any- 
thing, excepting,  perhaps,  this  most  marvelous 
of  all  instruments,  that  has  so  weirdly  presented 
to  my  eyes  ghosts  of  the  past  in  which  I  once 
lived.  I  believe  your  friend  Glide  to  be  my 
brother-in-law,  and  I  know  his  friend  Dr.  Clark- 
son  perfectly  well.  Why,  I  spent  the  evening 
with  the  doctor  not  a  week  ago." 

"  Three  thousand  years  and  a  week,  perhaps. 
"  Perhaps.     I  confess  I  am  a  little  dazed,  and 
hardly  know  what  to  think." 

"  We  had  better,  then,  adjourn  our  talk  about 
government  until  to-morrow  evening,  —  that  is, 
hi  case  we  are  still  spared  to  be  here." 


260  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

"  In  case  we  are  not,  there  is  one  point  I 
would  first  like  to  have  explained,  Professor. 
I  have  now  been  with  you  two  days,  and  have 
neither  seen  nor  heard  a  word  about  money. 
Have  you  happily  learned  to  dispense  with  the 
'  root  of  all  evil '  ?  " 

"  No.  That  was  dreamt  of  by  the  theorists, 
but  never  realized.  We  find  it  a  necessity  as 
a  ready  means  of  exchange." 

"  But  why  is  it  that  I  have  no  visible  evi- 
dence of  its  existence  ?  " 

"  Simply  because,  in  your  excursions  with 
Marco  and  myself,  no  demand  has  happened 
to  arise  requiring  the  use  of  exchange.  AYhen 
we  call  a  thing  public,  we  mean  that  it  is  the 
property  of  the  Government  —  that  is,  of  the 
people ;  and  it  is  consequently  free.  The  pub- 
lic conveyances  we  have  used  are  all  free.  The 
dinner  we  took  at  the  restaurant  is  the  only 
exception  I  now  recall ;  that  will  be  charged 
to  my  account,  and  settled  at  the  end  of  the 
month." 

"Settled  with  what?" 

"  With  money." 

"  And  what  kind  of  money  ?  " 

"  Paper  money,  very  similar  to  that  you  were 
accustomed  to  use." 

"  Government  paper  ?  " 

"  Exactly." 


THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON.  267 

"  Based  on  gold  as  a  standard  ?  " 

"  No !     Just  there  we  liave  made  an  impor- 
tant change.     Experience    showed  that  no  one 
article,  however  rare  or  precious,  could  be  de- 
pended upon  as  an  unvarying  standard  of  value. 
In    centuries    closely  following   your    own,   the 
scanty  fresh  supplies  of  gold  were  quite  out  of 
proportion  to  the  increase  of  population ;   and, 
as  a  consequence,  the  purchasing  power  of  the 
actual  metal  far  exceeded  that  of  preceding  gen- 
erations.     Then,   again,  in    the   later  Volcanic 
Period,  when  the  whole  orb  was  convTilsed  and 
the    Continent  of  Atlantis  was    restored  to  us, 
fresh    deposits  of  the  metal  were  disclosed,  so 
abundant  that  for  a  time  it  lost  its  distinction 
as  a  so-called  '  precious  metal,'  and  came  into 
common    use     even     for    household     purposes. 
That    settled    its    pretensions,    and    a   new  and 
more    stable    standard  of  valuation  was    neces- 
sarily sought.     The  search  was  a  long  one,  and 
accompanied   by  many  disastrous  experiments  ; 
but    the  result  finally  attained    has  proved  en- 
tirely satisfactory.     One  of  the  first  important 
acts  of  the  Congress  of  Nations  was  the  adop- 
tion of  a  new  and  universal  unit  of  valuation, 
based    upon    the  w^orld's    surplus  of    food    pro- 
ducts, as  accurately  reported  each  decade,  pro- 
portionate to  the  world's  population  at  the  same 
date.     The  result  of  the  computation  sometimes 


268  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

shows  a  slight  variation  ;  but  this  is  trifling,  as 
reduction  from  any  cause  in  one  item  or  in  any 
one  section  of  the  globe  is  nearly  always  coun- 
terbalanced by  increase  in  others.  Moreover, 
the  ten  years'  period  for  which  each  standard  is 
fixed  is  sufficiently  long  to  allow  the  conditions 
to  become  known  to  the  public  and  to  be  fully 
discounted ;  and  there  is  consequently  no  possi- 
ble danjrer  of  sudden  revulsions  in  valuation. 
Do  you  understand  ?  Government  certificates, 
based  on  such  surplus  food  products  and  guar- 
anteed by  them,  are  the  current  medium  of  ex- 
chansfe  throuohout  the  world ;  and  each  such 
certificate  jnelds  quarterly  interest  to  the  holder. 
This  is  intended  to  encourage  the  habit  of  sav- 
ing, which  is  no  longer  liable  to  unhealthy  de- 
velopment, inasmuch  as  money  has  now  been 
shorn  of  most  of  the  powers  and  privileges  that 
once  made  it  a  despot." 

"  You  no  longer,  then,  have  rich  men  ?  " 

"  Oh,  yes  ;  but  we  no  longer  regard  them  with 
envy.  On  the  contrary,  they  command  not  only 
our  respect,  but  our  sympathy.  They  have  a 
right,  during  lifetime,  to  all  they  can  lawfully 
accumulate,  though  that  is  little  compared  with 
what  was  possible  in  former  times." 

"  Why  so,  when  present  resources  are  so 
much  greater  ?  " 

''  For  many  reasons,  but  principally  because 


THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON.  269 

the  establishment  of  a  medium  of  exchanfre  hav- 
ing  an  absokitely  fixed  purchasing  power  dealt 
a  deathblow  to  speculation.  Any  attempt  to 
artificially  raise  or  lower  values  would  now  be 
vain  ;  and  it  is  only  under  circumstances  where 
values  are  variable  that  any  one  man,  or  clique 
of  men,  can  secure  the  millions  that  made  wealth 
in  your  da}^  a  burlesque  and  a  byword.  Your 
attitude  toward  millionaires  seems  to  us  now 
rather  amusing  than  otherwise.  You  scolded, 
but  took  no  measures  to  prevent.  You  con- 
demned what  your  laws  and  customs  clearly 
permitted,  but  allowed  the  laws  and  customs  to 
remain.  You  suggested  more  than  you  proba- 
bly had  in  mind  when  you  used  to  speak  of  the 
'  wheel  of  fortune.'  Every  man  of  you  helped 
to  twirl  that  wheel,  and,  with  every  struggle  by 
which  you  vaguely  sought  to  remedy  industrial 
evils,  you  only  made  values  all  the  more  fluc- 
tuating, and  thus  gave  new  impetus  to  the  wheel 
and  new  opportunities  to  your  speculators. 
With  the  establishment  of  our  Government  of 
Settled  Forms  came  also  settled  values ;  and  the 
speculator,  and  consequently  the  millionaire,  is 
now  merely  a  picturesque  memory  of  the  remote 
past.  By  the  same  means,  we  also  abolished  the 
great  army  of  bankrupts  and  men  and  women 
without  means  of  support,  which  the  '  wheel  of 
fortune  '  —  mainly  by  accident  of  sudden  vari- 


270  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

ations  in  value  —  whirled  helplessly,  hopelessly, 
to  dependence  and  wretchedness.     Incomes  are 
less  unequal  now,  and  all  are  richer,  and  better, 
and  more  hopeful  in  consequence." 
/    "You  say  that  your  rich  men  have  a  right  to 
their  wealth  during  life.     What  then  ?  " 
"  The  bulk  of  it  returns  to  the  people." 
"  But  how  about  their  relations  and  friends  ?  " 
"  They  can  be  provided  for  during  the  life  of 
the  rich  man  by  the  gift  of  Government  annui- 
ties, based  on  a  principle  derived  from  your  life 
insurance  companies,   whose  vast  interests  and 
responsibilities  finally  passed,  by  an  inevitable 
course  of  events,  into  the  hands  of  the  Govern- 
ment." 

"  Has  your  Government,  then,  become  an  in- 
surance institution  ?  " 

'*Yes;  and  why  shouldn't  it?  As  the  peo- 
ple's representative,  it  is  the  people's  banker  and 
the  people's  backer.  It  alone  is  competent  to  in- 
sure beyond  all  perad venture  ;  and  we  take  no 
chances  nowadays  that  are  avoidable,  especially 
in  matters  of  such  vital  importance  as  this  to 
public  as  well  as  private  welfare.  Government 
annuities  form  an  essential  element  of  modern 
life.  By  a  process  of  development  that  now 
seems  simple  enough,  but  which  \^as  the  slow 
growth  of  several  generations,  such  annuities  rev- 
olutionized the  system  of  investment.     You  will 


THE  CRYSTAL   BUTTON.  271 

understand  that,  during  the  process  of  absorption 
by  the  Government  of  all  monopolies  seeking  con- 
trol of  staple  and  needful  products,  the  oppor- 
tunities for  industrial  investment  gradually  de- 
creased, while  the  means  of  the  general  public 
as  steadily  increased.  Government  insurance, 
in  the  form  of  life  annuities,  gradually  took 
the  place  of  these.  By  judicious  management, 
under  the  supervision  of  several  of  the  world's 
ablest  financiers,  these  annuities  were  reduced 
to  a  system  perfect  in  every  detail.  They  were 
made  convenient  and  sure  as  an  investment ; 
and  they  naturally  became  popular.  Indeed, 
they  became  so  popular  that  public  demand 
made  them  almost  indispensable  to  the  position 
of  citizenship.  Although  there  is  no  law  to  this 
effect,  it  is  not  customary  for  any  man  or  woman 
to  become  a  citizen  until  thus  secured  against 
future  dependence.  It  is  also  customary,  before 
marriage,  for  both  the  man  and  the  prospective 
wife  to  be  thus  provided  for ;  and  every  child, 
before  it  receives  the  usual  birth  certificate,  is 
supposed  to  have  at  least  the  minimum  annuity 
that  guarantees  freedom  from  physical  want. 
Thus,  you  see,  it  is  considered  incumbent  on 
every  person  to  be  protected  against  future  de- 
pendence ;  and  the  requirement  is  so  clearly  for 
the  best  interests  of  individuals,  as  well  as  for 
society  in  general,   that  it  has  willing  support 


272  THE  CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

from  poor  as  well  as  rich,  and  is  one  of  the  chief 
civilizing'  ai?:ents  of  modern  life." 

"  How  does  this  affect  the  rich  man  ?  " 

"As  our  laws  and  cnstoms  allow  him  to  hoard 
comparatively  little  of  his  wealth,  annnities  have 
also  become  his  favorite  form  of  investment,  and 
many  an  employer  has  been  led  to  grant  annui- 
ties to  hundreds  of  his  employees." 

"  In  preference  to  great  public  benefactions 
after  death  ?  " 

"  Yes,  because  real  public  needs  are  no  longer 
left  to  the  accident  of  individual  benefactors,  but 
are  promptly  provided  for  out  of  the  public 
funds.  Nowadays,  the  local  Government  estab- 
lishes a  library  or  hospital  just  as  it  would  a 
bridge  —  because  it  is  needed  ;  and  we  are  not 
subjected  to  the  uncertainties  of  waiting  upon 
the  caprice  of  individuals  in  the  form  of  post- 
mortem benefactions." 

"  What  proportion  of  your  people  are  thus 
provided  for  ?  " 

"  Nearly  all.  The  annuity  system  means  in- 
dependence and  a  certain  freedom  of  action, 
without  which  citizenshij)  would  be  open  to  many 
temptations  and  perversions.  It  is  just  at  this 
point  that  a  gulf  divides  the  forty-ninth  from 
the  nineteenth  century,  not  only  in  sentiment 
but  in  fact :  no  citizen  in  these  days  is  abso- 
lutely dependent  upon  any  other  person  so  far  as 


THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON:  273 

the  necessities  of  life  are  concerned.  The  first 
ambition  in  life,  for  woman  as  well  as  man,  is 
independent  citizenship ;  and  both  law  and  cus- 
tom encourage  this  ambition,  and  afford  every 
practicable  means  for  its  accomplishment.  What 
one  of  your  workmen  spent  for  beer  and  tobacco 
would  now  suffice  in  a  few  years  to  assure  him  a 
competency.  To  be  poor  without  good  excuse, 
and  consequently  to  be  dependent,  is  now  to  be 
in  disrepute." 

"  Bless  me !  that  sounds  unjust." 
"  But  I  assure  you  it  is  not.  Public  opinion, 
educated  to  its  present  standard,  is  never  unjust. 
It  does  not  demand  the  impossible  of  its  citizens. 
It  simply  lends  its  aid  to  make  things  possible 
that  were  not  so  in  your  day;  and  then  very 
properly  frowns  upon  those  who  fail  to  use  the 
opportunities  it  affords." 

"But  I  cannot  help  thinking  that  you  must 
have  lost  a  certain  element  of  progress  in  thus 
making  each  man  independent  of  all  other  men." 
*'  Why?  We  simply  make  him  a  free  man,  as 
he  formerly  claimed  to  be,  but  was  not.  We 
now  know  what  liberty  —  liberty  of  action  — 
really  means.  We  discover  that  it  means  true 
manhood  and  womanhood.  It  means  happiness 
unclouded  by  care  or  fear.  It  means  free  and 
full  development  of  one's  best  abilities.  It  means 
the  banishment  of  an  army  of  evils  that  previ- 


274  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

ously  blocked  the  progress  of  civilization :  star- 
vation, penury,  theft,  prostitution,  compulsory 
marriage,  child-labor,  and  a  multitude  of  others 
that  will  readily  occur  to  you,  which  too  often 
had  their  rise  in  immediate  want,  or  fear  of  it  in 
the  future,  on  the  part  of  self  or  those  depen- 
dent." 

"  Your  report  is  so  pleasing,"  said  Paul,  "  that 
it  blinds  my  judgment ;  but  I  still  cannot  help 
thinking  that  such  independence  must  mean  an- 
nihilation of  ambition  in  a  large  class.  '  In  the 
sweat  of  thy  brow  shalt  thou  eat  bread '  was  in 
my  day  a  truth  that  did  not  need  the  authority 
of  Holy  Writ.  We  used  to  be  taught  and  to 
believe  that,  excej^t  for  the  struggle  for  life  and 
the  ambitions  that  maintained  that  struggle,  life 
would  hardly  be  worth  living." 

"  That  was  one  of  those  half-truths  that  are 
worse  than  falsehoods,  because  more  difficult  to 
disprove.  All  I  can  say  is  that  time  and  experi- 
ence have  utterly  refuted  its  conclusions.  We 
no  longer  have  cause  to  struggle  for  the  bare 
necessities  of  life  ;  but,  for  that  very  reason,  our 
ambitions  of  youth,  our  highest  and  best  ambi- 
tions, —  now  no  longer  liable  to  be  strangled  by 
petty  cares  of  mere  animal  existence,  —  are  given 
an  opportunity  for  realization  to  a  degree  of 
which  the  nineteenth  century  had  no  conception. 
You  have  already  looked  about  you  with  search- 


THE    CRYSTAL   BUTT  OX.  275 

ing  eyes.  What  are  the  tokens  you  have  ob- 
served ?  Have  you  not  seen  evidences  of  exalted 
ambition  everywhere  apparent  ?  " 

Paul  was  about  to  answer  with  great  decision, 
when  Madam  entered  the  room,  exclaiming : 
*'  Come,  come  at  once  !  I  believe  it  is  already 
in  sight." 

The  Professor  arose  precipitately.  "  Impos- 
sible !  "  He  glanced  at  his  watch.  "  Perfectly 
impossible,  my  dear !  " 

"  Come  and  see  for  yourself."  And  she  put 
an  arm  about  him,  and  drew  the  trembling  man 
to  the  terrace,  Paul  closely  following.  One 
glance,  and  the  Professor  sank  into  a  chair, 
saying :  "  My  reputation  is  undone  !  I  can  no 
longer  answer  for  consequences.  That  is  the 
position  and  this  is  the  very  instant  prophesied 
by  Professor  Pessim,  and  he  has  already  settled 
up  his  earthly  affairs.  Well,  let  us  use  our  eyes 
and  our  understandings  to  the  last."  He  drew 
his  wife's  face  to  his,  while  Paul  discreetly  left 
the  aged  couple,  and  proceeded  to  the  group  of 
young  people  surrounding  the  telescope. 


CHAPTER  XXXI. 

The  Passage  of  the  Comet, 

The  scene  that  met  Paul's  gaze,  as  he  leaned 
on  the  railing  at  the  edge  of  the  terrace,  was  of 
indescribable  brilliancy.  As  Madam  had  said, 
the  whole  world  was  in  the  open  air.  Streets 
and  sidewalks  were  filled  with  slowly  moving 
processions  of  people ;  dwellings,  shops,  and 
places  of  amusement  showed  their  doors  and 
windows  filled  with  eager  throngs ;  and  most 
striking  of  all  were  the  house  terraces,  deco- 
rated with  colored  lanterns,  where,  amid  bowers 
of  rhododendrons  and  other  evergreen  plants, 
were  gathered  households  and  their  friends,  some 
sipping  tea  or  creams,  but  nearly  all  now  en- 
gaged with  their  opera-glasses,  scanning  the  lu- 
minous stranger  that  was  just  coming  into  view 
on  the  eastern  horizon. 

Utter  silence  characterized  the  scene,  which 
might  otherwise  have  been  one  of  ordinary 
merry-making.  No  music  was  heard;  and  those 
who  spoke,  did  so  in  whispers.  There  was  a  so- 
lemnity abroad  that  Paul  could  only  liken  to  that 


THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON.  211 

which  he  once  experienced  in  early  manhood, 
during  a  visit  to  a  foreign  cathedral,  when  the 
host  was  elevated,  and  a  sonorous  bell  sounded 
what  seemed  a  call  to  judgment.  He  felt,  as  he 
did  then,  like  bowing  himself  to  the  ground  be- 
fore some  unseen  but  majestic  presence.  He- 
looked  about  him  to  see  what  others  were  doing. 
They  appeared  almost  as  quiescent  as  they  were 
silent.  He  was  oppressed  by  a  sudden  sensation 
as  if  they  were  ghosts,  or  as  if  he  were  a  ghost 
in  the  midst  of  an  assembly  of  men  and  women, 
between  whom  and  himself  existed  a  barrier  of 
cloud  through  which  he  could  only  hopelessly 
grope,  and  find  naught  that  was  palpable.  He 
pressed  his  hands  to  his  temples  as  if  in  pain,  — 
but  he  felt  no  pain.  Then  he  heard,  distinctly 
but  distantly,  a  familiar  voice  which  said :  "  A 
few  moments,  and  all  will  be  done.  Have  no 
fear!" 

Then  for  the  first  time  there  fell  upon  him  a 
sensation  of  abject  terror.  He  rose  hastily  from 
the  lounge  where  he  found  he  had  thrown  him- 
self ;  and  a  hand  grasped  his,  while  the  speaker 
took  his  place  on  the  lounge  and  drew  him  to  a 
seat  beside  him.  Paul  looked  up  in  alarm.  It 
was  the  face  of  Professor  Prosper  that  met  his 
gaze  —  or  was  this  Dr.  Clarkson?  —  how  like  Dr. 
Clarkson  !  —  and  the  first  words  that  followed 
were  a  repetition  of  those   he  had   just  heard : 


278  THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON. 

"Have  no  fear!"  but  somehow  they  had  a  dif- 
ferent intonation.  If  it  was  the  Professor  who 
spoke  now,  it  could  not  have  been  he  who  spoke 
before.  Yet  it  must  have  been,  —  it  must  have 
been !  And  the  same  voice  that  last  spoke  now 
spoke  again,  saying  :  "  This  comet  has  been  seen 
and  studied  once  before  during  the  historical 
period.  That  was  in  the  century  following  yours, 
and  in  the  year  preceding  the  first  a23pearance  in 
public  of  John  Costor.  Like  him,  it  came  un- 
heralded. The  multitude,  who  are  always  liable 
to  associate  contemporaneous  events  as  cause 
and  effect,  were  wont  afterward  to  look  upon  it 
as  his  herald,  and  they  consequently  gave  it  his 
name.  Perhaps  there  may  have  been  an  element 
of  cause  and  effect  which  the  multitude  never 
understood.  So  portentous  a  spectacle  subdued 
the  public  mind  to  a  point  of  unusual  humility. 
Some  foretold  that  it  meant  the  approaching  end 
of  the  world.  The  natural  result  of  such  a  con- 
viction was  a  deepened  sense  of  the  fleeting  char- 
acter of  the  present  life  and  the  all-importance 
of  that  which  was  to  come.  When  this  expecta- 
tion failed  of  realization,  it  was  then  prophesied 
that  the  heavenly  visitor  probably  augured  the 
coming  of  a  prophet.  The  need  of  a  prophet 
was  felt ;  and  in  response  to  that  need  he  came, 
in  the  person  of  John  Costor,  who  was  the  em- 
bodied presence  of  the  world's  dream  and  yearn- 
ing at  that  period." 


THE    CRYSTAL    BUTTON.  279 

"  Please  tell  me  something,  Professor,  of  the 
appearance  of  the  comet  as  it  then  passed  the 
earth." 

"  There  is  little  to  tell.  It  was  one  of  those 
things  that  conld  not  be  told.  But  its  appear- 
ance as  it  approached  was  admirably  photo- 
graphed in  countless  numbers  of  views,  some  of 
which  you  can  see  in  my  library.  Recall  the 
largest  and  brightest  comet  that  appeared  in 
your  time.  This  one  was  many  thousand  times 
greater  than  any  before  recorded.  It  had  been 
observed  for  many  months  in  the  far  distance, 
gradually  approaching  our  system.  Interest  in 
its  movements  increased  day  by  day,  and  it 
finally  became  the  all-absorbing  topic.  As  it  drew 
nearer,  it  rapidly  developed  a  nucleus  of  extraor- 
dinary magnitude  and  brilliancy,  from  which 
spread  away  in  divergent  streams  its  enormous 
train,  spanning  the  entire  vault  of  heaven  like  a 
bow,  and  casting  a  shadow  quite  equal  to  that  of 
the  full  moon.  Its  path  nearly  coincided  with 
the  plane  of  the  ecliptic,  but,  unlike  the  planets, 
it  moved  from  east  to  west.  This  great  bod\% 
with  its  deep  enveloping  mass  of  hydrogen,  as 
shown  by  the  spectroscope,  moved  in  a  flat  para- 
bola almost  directly  toward  the  sun,  foretokening 
a  short  perihelion  distance,  if  not  actual  collision 
with  the  source  of  light.  Some  apprehension 
was  then  felt  by  astronomers  that,  on  its  return, 


280  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

it  might  pass  in  dangerous  proximity  to  our  orb  ; 
but  as  the  actual  distance  at  perihelion  could 
not  be  known  until  after  the  passage,  the  width 
of  parabola  would  be  less  as  the  comet  passed 
nearer  to  the  sun,  or  greater  as  it  made  a  longer 
turn.  Thus,  although  nearly  in  the  plane  of  our 
orbit,  it  might  not  come  nearer  to  us  on  its  re- 
turn than  on  its  approach  to  the  hot  bath  in  the 
sun's  atmosphere." 

"  And  what  in  fact  happened  ?  " 

•'  As  it  became  lost  in  the  rays  of  the  sun,  all 
eyes  were  watching  for  its  reappearance  on  the 
western  limb  ;  but  nothing  could  be  seen.  Weeks 
passed,  but  no  comet !  It  was  evident  that  one 
of  two  things  must  have  happened  :  either  the 
great  body  had  plunged  headlong  into  the  sun, 
or  it  was  in  process  of  flight  so  directly  in  a 
straight  line  from  the  sun  to  the  earth  as  to  be 
totally  obscured  by  the  sun's  rays.  Opinions 
were  divided.  If  the  latter  supposition  were 
true,  the  time  of  its  nearest  approach  to  the 
earth  had  been  calculated  from  its  known  veloc- 
ity; and  the  majority  of  the  best  mathemati- 
cians were  of  the  opinion  that  its  second  advent 
could  only  mean  the  world's  destruction.  Under 
these  circumstances,  it  was  natural  that  the 
world's  inhabitants  should  be  oppressed  by  a 
grievous  doubt,  and  stirred  by  the  strongest  pos- 
sible incentive  to  religious  fervor.    Expectations 


THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON.  281 

were  not  wholly  disappointed.  It  did  reappear, 
and  in  a  position  very  nearly  in  a  direct  line 
from  the  sun,  but  the  divergence  was  sufficient 
to  prevent  the  catastrophe  feared.  The  rush  of 
its  dreadful  presence  as  it  fled  past  our  af- 
frighted globe  was  by  far  the  most  appalling 
spectacle  that  humanity  ever  had  an  opportunity 
to  look  upon.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  no  eyes  ac- 
tually looked  upon  it  as  it  passed,  —  it  was  more 
blinding  than  the  sun." 

"  Is  it  expected  that  to-night's  visitation  will 
resemble  that  which  you  have  just  described  ?  " 

"  Yes,  in  most  features  ;  but  it  will  be  all  the 
more  brilliant  for  the  reason  that  it  comes  at 
night.  Its  course  is  not  precisely  the  same,  and 
it  will  probably  not  approach  as  near  ;  but  it  is 
just  at  this  point  that  authorities  differ ;  and,  as 
I  have  told  you,  its  appearance  at  this  hour  puts 
to  confusion  the  theories  I  have  occupied  years 
in  developing.  At  present,  I  have  no  more  idea 
what  to  expect  than  you  have,  but  it  is  only  fair 
to  you  to  confess  that  the  course  and  time-table 
it  is  now  following  point  to  the  correctness  of 
my  opponents'  theories,  who  have  prophesied  the 
worst.  The  God  who  made  us  now  holds  us  in 
his  hand !  " 

With  this  ejaculation,  the  Professor  returned 
to  his  wife's  side,  and  his  children  gathered 
closely  around  Hm.     Paul  remained  alone,  till 


282  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

Smudge  crept  to  his  side,  trembling  violently. 
He  felt  a  sudden  chilL  There  was  no  further 
need  of  examining  the  approaching  visitor 
through  the  telescope,  which  now  stood  idle, 
casting  its  dark  line  like  a  bar  sinister  across 
the  sky.  Dimmer  and  dimmer  grew  the  lights 
in  the  streets  and  along  the  terraces,  until  they 
—  and  with  them,  all  the  people  —  paled  into 
complete  obscurity.  Brighter  and  brighter  grew 
the  heavens,  and  nearer  and  nearer  swept  the 
glowing  fire-sphere,  till  it  became  a  sun  —  till  its 
heat  grew  scorching  —  till  the  world's  envelop- 
ing atmosphere  burst  into  a  crackling  sheet  of 
flame  —  till  all  things  crashed  about  the  trem- 
bling spectator  —  till  all  was  blackness  —  till, 
tiU  — 


PAET  VI. 

CONCLUSION. 


CHAPTER   XXXII. 

A  Ray  of  Moonlight. 

The  very  chamber,  'with  the  eye  of  its  night- 
lamp  shaded,  yet  alert,  had  a  look  of  expectancy 
about  it.  It  was  in  the  small  hours  of  the 
night.  Now  and  then  a  white  face  peered  be- 
tween the  curtains  of  the  doorway.  From  the 
bed  came  the  sound  of  regular  breathing,  then 
a  sigh,  a  gentle  movement ;  and  the  one  who 
lay  there  awoke  by  slow  degrees,  and  looked 
vasfuelv  about  him.  At  last  his  eyes  fell  on  a 
square  of  moonlight  that  lit  with  pale  flame  the 
otherwise  obscure  pattern  of  the  carpet.  His 
attention  became  gradually  fixed  upon  it. 

"  Why,  what  does  that  mean  ? "  he  mur- 
mured. "  To-morrow  is  Christmas,  and  the 
moon  fulled  on  the  first  day  of  the  month.  She 
is  now  in  the  middle  of  her  last  quarter,  and 
ouo:ht  not  to  be  in  the  southwest  until  to-mor- 
row." 


284  THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON: 

Apparently  the  thought  came  to  him  that  he 
might  be  dreaming ;  and,  as  if  to  still  the  doubt, 
he  turned  in  the  bed  and  whispered  :  "  Mary, 
are  you  asleep  ?  " 

The  curtains  closing  the  adjoining  room  were 
quickly  parted,  and  the  pale  face  of  the  watcher 
drew  near  to  his.  "What  is  it,  Paul?"  The 
voice  trembled  with  excitement,  as  well  it  might, 
for  ten  years  had  passed  since  he  last  called  her 
by  name. 

*'  Mary,  what  is  the  meaning  of  that  moon- 
light on  the  carpet  ?  " 

"  Oh,  I  see,  —  the  curtain  is  raised."  And 
she  walked  to  the  window  with  the  evident  pur- 
pose of  drawing  the  shade. 

"  No,  no ;  that  is  not  what  I  mean.     Is  n't  to- 
morrow Christmas?" 
"    "Yes." 

"And  did  n't  the  moon  full  on  the  first?  And, 
if  so,  how  can  it  be  shining  from  the  southwest 
at  this  time  of  night  ?   That 's  what  puzzles  me." 

"  Paul,  you  know  much  more  about  such 
things  than  I  do.  But  don't  try  to  study  it  out 
to-night.     Wait  till  morning,  dear." 

He  closed  his  eyes,  and  said  with  a  voice  as 
if  from  afar:  "Oh,  I  understand,  Professor; 
they  are  the  rays  from  the  comet." 

He  became  restless,  and  made  several  requests 
which  Mary  was  unable  to  comprehend. 


THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON.  285 

"Where  is  Smudge?"  he  asked  abruptly. 

The  dog  was  called,  and  took  his  accustomed 
place  on  the  bearskin  rug  that  lay  by  the  bed- 
side ;  and  Paul  rested  a  hand  on  the  shaggy 
neck. 

"  Smudge  must  be  tired.  I  am.  I  only  wish 
I  could  be  sure  whether  that  is  the  light  of  the 
moon  or  of  the  comet." 

'"  To-morrow  we  will  ask  Dr.  Clarkson  about 
it,"  said  Mary  soothingly ;  and  she  stroked  his 
forehead  with  her  soft,  cool  hand  until  his  meas- 
ured breathing  told  that  he  was  once  more 
"asleep.  Then  she  slipped  to  her  knees,  raining 
tears  upon  his  hand ;  and  her  whole  heart  went 
out  in  a  fervent  prayer  that  the  moonlight, 
which  had  clearly  penetrated  into  the  long  dark- 
ened chambers  of  his  mind,  might  soon  give 
place  to  the  illumination  of  full  day. 

What  a  long  mental  sleep  that  had  been  from 
which  this  husband  now  seemed  to  be  awaken- 
ing —  and  oh,  how  sorrowful  beyond  human 
speech  to  the  waiting  wife  !  As  she  recognized 
that  the  happiest  prophecies  of  the  doctors 
seemed  now  about  to  be  realized,  she  became 
filled  with  a  growing  excitement  and  joy  that 
made  action  necessary,  and  for  some  minutes 
she  paced  rapidly  up  and  down  the  hallway, 
with  hands  clenched  —  with  tears  streaming. 
Then  she  returned,  and  sat  by  his  bedside  until 


286  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

daybreak,  stroking  liis  forehead  whenever  he 
showed  signs  of  restlessness,  and  reviewing  again 
and  again  the  events  of  the  momentous  ten  years 
that  were  passed. 

So  much  had  happened,  —  so  much  that  was 
disheartening,  so  little  that  was  pleasant  to  re- 
call !  In  the  darkness  of  the  nightwatch,  the  sad 
scenes  presented  themselves  earliest  and  often- 
est.  She  dwelt  upon  every  incident  of  that  far- 
away Christmas  night  when  the  accident  hap- 
pened, until  it  seemed  like  yesterday.  Then, 
more  or  less  connectedly,  she  followed  the  sub- 
sequent course  of  events. 

She  remembered  how  financial  troubles  had 
gradually  compassed  her  about,  till  sympathiz- 
ing Dr.  Clarkson  had  lent  a  hand,  and,  among 
the  invalid's  papers,  discovered  cei'tain  patents 
which  he  pronounced  worth  a  fortune  to  any 
one  who  had  the  skill  and  the  means  to  develop 
them. 

She  remembered  how  Will  Clarkson,  the 
doctor's  son,  had  then  made  one  of  those  patent- 
papers  the  nucleus  of  his  first  law  case  ;  and  how 
the  suit  against  a  railway  company  had  dragged 
through  the  courts  until  on  the  point  of  failure 
from  lack  of  further  funds,  when  her  brother 
Tom,  from  Brazil,  had  appeared  on  the  scene, 
so  tanned,  bearded,  and  rotund  that  she  scarcely 
recognized  him  as  the  slender  youth  who  had 


THE    CRYSTAL   BUTTON.  287 

kissed  her  good-by  fifteen  years  before ;  but  his 
brotherly  love  was  past  all  mistaking.  What 
a  providence  his  return  had  proved  !  Backed 
by  the  ample  capital  and  resolute  business  qual- 
ities that  he  and  his  partner,  Tom  Hamlin,  had 
been  able  to  lend  to  the  undertaking,  that  initial 
lawsuit  had  been  speedily  pushed  to  a  success- 
ful termination,  carrying  a  hundred  others  in 
its  wake  ;  and  wealth  beyond  her  wildest  hopes 
had  wrought  a  change  in  her  fortunes. 

She  remembered  with  special  j^leasure  how 
she  had  lived  over  her  own  happy  girlhood  as 
she  watched  the  courtship  between  her  daugh- 
ter and  Will  Clarkson.  And  now,  joy  of  joys  ! 
if  the  promise  of  this  night  was  not  disap- 
pointed, Paul  would  be  able  to  be  an  inter- 
ested spectator  at  the  approaching  nuptials. 

And  gladdest  of  all,  she  recalled  every  in- 
cident of  the  recent  Thanksgiving-Day  gather- 
ing, when  hope,  though  very  faint  at  first,  had 
reentered  her  widowed  heart.  For  the  first  time 
in  many  years,  she  had  then  converted  her  home 
into  a  house  of  merry-making.  Tliere  were  that 
day  gathered  at  Paul's  dinner-table  all  the 
friends  who  had  contributed  to  the  present  for- 
tunes of  his  family :  Brother  Tom  and  his  wife 
and  children,  Mr.  Hamlin  and  his  family.  Dr. 
Clarkson  and  Will.  Paul  was  also  present,  and 
Mary  could  not  help  thinking  that  he  also  felt 


288  THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON. 

the  genial  influences  of  the  cheerful  company, 
though  he  never  smiled  or  said  a  word.  Shortly 
after  the  meal,  Will  had  strolled  into  the  li- 
brary, where  Paul  lay  upon  the  lounge,  taking 
his  usual  after-dinner  nap.  He  noticed  that  the 
sun  poured  full  upon  the  head  of  the  sleeping 
man,  from  which  fever  had  recently  stripped 
every  vestige  of  hair,  and  he  was  about  to  shut 
out  the  sunlight,  when  his  attention  was  attracted 
by  an  appearance  of  a  deviation  of  the  median 
line  and  a  slight  general  depression  on  one  side 
of  it,  which  the  sense  of  touch  could  scarcely  be 
expected  to  detect,  but  which  the  strong  sunlight, 
striking  it  at  an  angle,  now  threw  into  promi- 
nence. Will's  powers  of  observation  were  nat- 
urally acute,  and  a  single  glance  suggested  a 
swift  train  of  thought  that  was  not  unnatural  to 
one  who  had  been  brought  up  in  the  constant 
companionship  of  a  skilled  physician. 

"  What  a  magnificent  head  he  has !  From 
that  treasure-house  have  already  proceeded  me- 
chanical wonders  that  lend  might  to  the  world's 
arm ;  and  others  no  doubt  still  sleep  there,  only 
awaiting  the  wand  of  some  magician.  Father 
was  never  able  to  discover  that  the  brain  was 
injured,  but  is  it  not  possible  that  suspension  of 
mental  activity  might  result  from  the  appar- 
ently slight  cause  to  which  the  sun  now  points 
the  finger  ?  " 


THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON.  289 

He  called  his  father  to  the  room.     A  careful 
inspection  that  Dr.  Clarkson  then  made  resulted 
in  his  promptly  calling  a  consultation  of  experts, 
and  in  the  medical  operation  that  had  just  now 
occurred.     Would  it  be  successful?     This  was 
the  question  in  which  the  watcher  by  the  bed- 
side was  now  interested  to  a  degree  that  almost 
paralyzed  her  power  of  thought.     The  incident  of 
his  awakening  this  night  in  what  appeared  full 
possession  of  his  faculties  was  certainly  a  cheer- 
ing- harbinger.     If  its  promise  should  hold  true, 
what  a  change  was  in  store  for  her!     Life  had 
shown  to  Mary  Prognosis  many  glimpses  of  sun- 
shine, but  now  —  now  all  clouds  seemed  about 
to  leave  her  sky.     She  had  to  restrain  herself  to 
keep  from  waking  the  sleeper  and  demanding  of 
him:   "Paul,  Paul!   tell  me,— have  you  come 
back   to   me?  — and   have   you   come   back  to 
stay?''     She  did  not  again  leave  his  bedside. 
She  «at  there,  with  his  hand  in  hers,  until  the 
moonlight  paled,  the  morning  twilight  began  to 
cast  aside  its  torpor  of  chill  silence,  and  the  red 
daybreak  flashed  into  the  room. 


CHAPTER  XXXin. 

Sunlight,  and  '^  Good-Morning  I  '* 

Christmas  morning  dawned  crisp  and  bright. 
To  Mary's  ears  came  the  distant  jingle  of  sleigh- 
bells;  and  her  weary  eyes  were  greeted  by  a 
rosy  glow  that  sparkled  from  the  snowy  roofs. 
Presently  a  church  clock  sounded.  The  bell 
gave  the  muffled  note  that  told  the  presence  of 
freshly  fallen  snow ;  but  its  summons  evidently 
reached  the  senses  of  the  sleeper,  and  he  slowly 
awakened,  raised  himself  up  on  an  elbow,  and 
said  cheerfully :  '^'  Well,  well !  Good-morning ! 
You  're  up  before  me  tliis  tinie.  A  Merry 
Christmas  to  you,  my  dear  I  '* 

"  The  merriest  of  my  life  I ''  she  said,  as  she 
bent  down  and  kissed  him. 

"  You  deserve  the  merriest.  And,  by  the  way, 
I  brought  home  for  you  yesterday  a  little  pres- 
ent. You  will  find  it  in  the  eash-pocket  of  my 
blouse." 

With  a  strange  light  in  her  eyes,  Maiy  has- 
tened to  the  store-room,  flung  open  a  camphor 
chest,  and  took  from  it  the  garment  that  had 


THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON.  291 

lain  there  unused  all  these  years.  In  the  pocket, 
as  he  had  said,  was  a  jeweler's  box,  wrapped  in 
tissue  paper  and  tied  with  a  pink  string.  Re- 
turning to  his  bedside,  she  opened  it  in  his 
presence,  and  with  trembling  fingers  drew  forth 
a  ring  set  with  a  single  diamond,  that  caught 
the  glory  of  the  morning  and  glittered  like  a 
star.  With,  tear-dimmed  eyes,  she  watched  the 
look  of  intelligence  and  happiness  with  which 
Paul  followed  her  every  movement ;  then  sud- 
denly she  lost  control  of  her  feelings,  and  knelt 
beside  him  without  power  to  utter  a  word  of 
thanks. 

"  Why,"  said  Paul,  "  I  really  believe  you  are 
crying !     Why  should  you  ?  " 

"  For  joy." 

"  You  are  so  pleased  with  the  ring  ?  " 

"Yes;  but  a  thousand  times  more  pleased 
because  I  now  know  that  you  are  going  to  be 
well  again." 

"Have  I  been  ill?  Has  anything  been  the 
matter  with  me?  I  do  feel  a  little  faint  this 
morning,  but  I  cannot  think  why.  What  is  this 
bandage  about  my  head  ?     Have  I  been  hurt  ?  " 

"  You  had  a  fall,  you  know." 

"A  fall?  I  seem  to  remember  that  there  was 
some  trouble  last  night,  somewhere,  about  some- 
thing. It  was  at  the  bridge.  I  begin  to  re- 
call it  now.     Old  Jake  Cummings   needed  my 


292  THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON. 

help,  and  I  tried  to  give  it.  Did  I  succeed  ? 
Is  Jake  all  right  now  ?  " 

"  All  right,  my  dear.  But  I  don't  think  we 
had  better  talk  any  more  now.  Everything  is  all 
right.  And  your  Christmas  present  is  beauti- 
ful.    I  thank  you,  Paul." 

When  Dr.  Clarkson  entered  the  chamber  an 
hour  later,  a  single  sweeping  glance  at  the  pa- 
tient and  the  smiling  watcher  told  him  the  story. 
He  greeted  Paul  familiarly,  felt  his  pulse,  and 
merely  recommended  perfect  quiet  for  a  few 
days.  "This  is  one  of  the  cases,  Mrs.  Prog- 
nosis, where  '  waiting  will  be  the  wisest  speed.' 
He  evidently  thinks  the  accident  happened  last 
evening.  The  intervening  ten  years  are  a  per- 
fect blank  to  him.  For  the  present,  it  is  bet- 
ter that  he  should  not  be  undeceived.  Let  the 
knowledge  come  gradually.  Tell  him  nothing 
except  in  answer  to  direct  questions.  His  eyes 
show  clearly  that  his  mind  is  unimpaired.  The 
mental  machinery  is  now  again  in  running  or- 
der, but  it  must  be  allowed  to  take  up  its  tasks 
gradually." 

In  the  evening,  Paul  asked  to  see  his  daugh- 
ter, and  in  the  dim  light  she  came  to  his  side. 

"  I  am  Patty.    Do  you  remember  me  ?  " 

"I  remember  a  little  girl  who  kissed  me 
good-by  when  I  left  the  house  yesterda}?^  morn- 
ing ;  but  you,  —  why,  you  are  Mary,  just  as  she 


THE  CRYSTAL  BUTTON.  293 

looked  when  she  first  came  to  this  house  as  a 
bride,  and  made  me  the  happiest  man  in  Boston." 

After  this  interview  he  seemed  a  little  con- 
fused, and  no  one  else  was  allowed  to  see  him 
until  New- Year's  Day,  when  the  doctor  decided 
that  he  was  strong  enough  to  know  more,  and 
that  fuller  knowledge  would  assist  rather  than 
retard  the  working  of  his  faculties.  "  You  see," 
he  explained  to  the  family,  "  before  Paul  Progno- 
sis takes  up  life  again,  there  must  necessarily 
be  a  long  succession  of  shocks  in  his  ideas,  as 
he  gradually  adjusts  these  to  the  many  altered 
conditions  of  life  which  he  will  discover.  To 
reveal  all  at  once  would  be  enough  to  paralyze 
the  faculties  of  a  man  in  perfect  health.  We 
must  let  him  slowly  pick  up  for  himself  the 
scattered  threads,  only  proffering  information 
when  we  think  it  would  assist  him  in  arrang- 
ing them." 

One  May  morning  the  doctor  entered,  bear- 
ing a  spray  of  apple  blossoms,  which,  he  noticed, 
seemed  to  strangely  agitate  his  patient. 

"Ah!  that  is  the  emblem  of  John  Costor," 
said  Paul. 

"  And  who  is  John  Costor?" 

Paul  looked  abashed.  "  That  belongs  to  my 
past."  Then,  taking  the  physician's  hand  in 
his,  he  suddenly  added :  "  Doctor,  I  must  tell 
some  one,  —  let  me  tell  you  I    I  understand  now 


294  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

that  I  have  been  ill  for  a  long  time,  —  for  years ; 
and  that,  during  that  time,  I  have  lived  in  a 
dream-land.  I  seem  now  and  then  to  flutter  be- 
tween that  land  and  this.  For  instance,  the 
sight  of  those  apple  blossoms,  the  sight  of  the  dia- 
mond on  my  wife's  finger  —  and  like  a  flash  I 
am  transported  to  the  dream  city  of  Tone  and 
to  the  civilization  of  John  Costor." 

"  Tell  me  something  about  it,"  said  the  doc- 
tor kindly.  And  he  allowed  Paul  to  talk  as 
long  as  he  thought  advisable. 

"Prognosis,"  he  then  said,  "  some  time  I  hope 
you  will  let  me  wander  with  you  throughout 
your  city  of  Tone.  But  now,  it  is  best  that 
you  should  think  as  little  about  it  as  you  can. 
I  will  help  you.  You  have  now  given  me  the 
key  how  to  help  you.  I  am  going  to  confide  to 
you  some  new  things  to  think  about."  And  he 
gave  Paul  a  short  sketch  of  some  of  the  events 
that  had  happened  in  the  world  during  the  ten 
years'  interim. 

He  carefully  watched  the  effect  of  his  an- 
nouncements upon  his  attentive  listener.  There 
was  no  visible  sign  of  any  ill  effect.  They 
seemed  rather  to  calm  him. 

The  doctor  continued :  "  And  now.  Progno- 
sis, there  is  one  further  piece  of  news  which  I 
know  will  make  you  glad.  As  you  have  seen, 
your  daughter  Patty  has  grown  meantime  into  a 


THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON.  295 

beautiful  woman.  I  know  a  young  man  who 
has  asked  her  to  help  him  found  a  new  home. 
That  young  man  is  my  son  Will.  I  want  to 
ask  you  for  Patty  as  a  daughter-in-law.  Have 
you  any  objections  ?  " 

"  None  ;  and  I  began  to  think,  from  the  man- 
ner of  the  young  people,  that  this  was  likely  to 
come  about." 

"  That  shows  progress.  In  a  few  days  you 
will  evidently  be  prepared  to  take  a  look  at  that 
electric  engine  of  yours.  Let  me  tell  you  now 
that  your  brother-in-law  Glide  and  liis  partner, 
Hamlin,  have  got  it  going,  and  it's  a  world's 
wonder !  " 

"  I  knew  it  would  be,  and  I  had  hopes  that  I 
should  be  able,  some  time,  to  open  a  factory  for 
developing  it.  By  the  way,  doctor,  what  are 
those  great  new  works  whose  walls  I  see  just 
across  the  square?" 

"  They  constitute  a  city  of  Tone  that  your 
mind  conceived,  which  has  been  wrought  out  in 
actual  brick  and  mortar.  Lean  upon  me,  and 
come  to  the  window.  Can  you  read  the  sign 
that  surmounts  the  roof  ?  " 

Under  the  influence  of  this  skillful  manner  of 
introduction,  Paul  was  able,  without  a  tremor, 
to  decipher  the  words,  — 

*'  PKOGNOSIS  ENGINE  WORKS  :   1876." 


296  THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON. 

"  You  did  n'fc  imagine,  did  yon,"  continued 
the  doctor,  '^  tliat  we  should  wait  all  these  years 
before  getting  your  engine  into  running  order  ? 
My  dear  Prognosis,  we  've  done  some  watching 
and  waiting,  but  we  've  done  still  more  work- 
ing. Now,  all  your  friends  ask  is  that  you  will 
rest  a  little  while  longer.  It 's  your  turn  to  do 
some  watching  and  waiting,  so  that  you  can  do 
some  working  later  on.  You  '11  find  plenty  to 
do,  and  you  are  going  to  be  perfectly  capable  of 
doing  it.  For  the  present,  don't  ask  too  many 
questions  —  that 's  the  chief  requisite.  Is  it  a 
bargain  ?  " 

"  It 's  a  bargain." 

"  And  is  it  also  agreed  that  Patty  may  be  my 
daughter-in-law  ?  " 

"  If  the  young  j>eople  so  elect.  ' 

"Oh,  don't  trouble  yourself  about  that.  I 
now  give  up  my  charge  in  favor  of  those  who 
can  better  explain  the  particulai's." 

iMary  came  and  took  her  seat  beside  him, 
while  Patty  and  Will  put  their  hands  in  his. 
Teai-s  dimmed  Paul's  eyes  so  that  he  could  not 
see  their  features  distinctly,  but  he  looked  up  with 
a  smile  and  said  very  quietly :  ''  My  dear  ones, 
this  is  indeed  a  glad  day  in  the  new  year.  May 
you  in  your  lives  realize  every  hope  that  is  sym- 
bolized in  this  spray  of  apple  blossoms  and  in 
the  cr}^stal  button." 


THE   CRYSTAL   BCTTOy.  297 

"  The  crystal  button  —  what  is  that  ?  "  asked 
Patty. 

"  To  explain  that  woiikl  be  a  long-  story. 
Some  time  I  will  tell  it  to  you.  Meanwhile,  I 
want  you  and  Will  to  each  wear  such  a  button 
for  ray  sake.  Later,  I  hope  you  will  wear  it  for 
its  own  sake,  —  for  what  it  means.  Mother, 
please  let  me  have  two  of  those  glass  buttons 
which  I  saw  in  your  work-basket  the  other 
day." 

Before  she  handed  them  to  him,  slie  went  to 
the  bureau  and  unlocked  a  little  jewel-case. 
"  And  here,  Paul,  is  another  such  button,  which 
you  held  in  your  hand  when  they  brought  you 
home  to  me  after  the  accident.  I  think  it  must 
have  slipped  from  old  Jake's  neck  when  you  res- 
cued him." 

"  Strange,"  said  the  doctor,  "  that  a  trifling 
incident  like  that  could  have  exerted  so  pow- 
erful an  influence  over  a  brain  that  had  ap- 
parently ceased  all  action !  It  seems  that  the 
death  -  clutch  you  gave  that  button,  Prognosis, 
—  probably  the  last  fleeting  impression  you  re- 
ceived before  unconsciousness,  —  has  never  been 
relaxed  in  all  these  years." 

"  Will  you  wear  one,  too,  doctor  ?  —  and  you, 
Mary  ?  " 

When  Mary's  ready  needle  had  attached  each 
in  its  appropriate  place,  Paul  added  solemnly  : 


298  THE   CRYSTAL   BUTTON. 

"  I  now  ask  you  all  to  repeat  with  me  these 
words.     Are  you  ready  ?  " 

"  We  are  ready,  father." 

"  Aud  I  'm  with  you,  Prognosis,"  added  the 
doctor. 

"  '  /  will  try^  from  this  moment  henceforth^ 
to  he  true  and  honest  in  my  every  act,  word, 
and  thought ;  and  this  crystal  button  I  ivill 
wear  while  the  spirit  of  triith  abides  with  me.^  " 

"In  this  same  place  of  safe  keeping,"  said 
Mary,  "  is  the  watch  you  wore  that  day.  Will 
has  had  it  put  in  order.  Is  n't  this,  Paul,  a 
good  opportunity  to  wind  it  and  set  it  in  mo- 
tion ?  " 

"  Yes,  dear.  To-day,  time  begins  for  me  once 
more.     What  is  the  hour  ?  " 


POSTSCRIPT. 

I,  Paul  Prognosis,  recently  restored  to 
health,  have  committed  to  paper,  by  dictation, 
the  substance  of  the  cha])ters  that  form  this 
book.  I  have  been  led  to  do  this  partly  in  ful- 
fillment of  promises  to  my  family,  and  i)artly  in 
response  to  the  oft-expressed  wish  of  my  friend, 
Dr.  Clarkson,  who  has  taken  scientific  inter- 
est in  my  occasional  references  to  the  world 
of  fancy  wherein  I  so  long  dwelt,  and  has  ear- 
nestly requested  that  I  furnish  him  with  as  full 
an  account  as  possible  of  all  my  recollections, 
however  vague  and  disconnected  they  may  now 
appear. 

He  has  particularly  desired  that  I  should  en- 
deavor to  fix  the  duration  of  the  period  covered 
by  these  imaginings,  and  he  has  lent  what  assist- 
ance he  could  by  suggesting  correspondences 
with  real  events.  Were  these  impressions  con- 
veyed to  my  mind  by  certain  brief  flashes,  as  in 
a  dream  or  in  the  last  semi-conscious  moment  of 
a  drowning  person,  the  remainder  of  my  waking 
hours  being  passed  in  total  mental  oblivion  ? 
Or  did  I  continue  to  be  a  part  of  these  mind- 


300  THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON. 

pictures  during  the  ten  years  of  my  mental 
aberration,  leading  a  life  among  the  scenes  here 
described  that  had  all  the  apparent  reality  of 
life  in  the  material  world  ?  I  am  at  a  loss  to 
determine  this  point.  If  the  former  were  the 
case,  the  main  dream  would  seem  to  have  oc- 
curred soon  after  the  accident  and  to  have  left 
a  lasting  impression,  for  the  doctor  tells  me 
that  nearly  all  my  mutterings  and  answers  to 
questions,  from  the  very  beginning  of  my  illness, 
become  perfectly  coherent  when  applied  to  the 
conditions  and  surroundings  indicated  by  this 
story  of  my  inner  life.  On  the  other  hand,  I 
seem  to  recall  the  loss  of  my  hair  as  among  the 
earliest  of  my  recollections,  while,  as  a  matter 
of  fact,  this  occurred  during  the  last  half-year 
of  my  illness.  After  careful  deliberation,  I  find 
myself  unable  to  offer  conclusive  evidence  on 
this  point ;  and  any  one  of  my  friends,  ac- 
quainted with  the  incidents  of  my  life,  is  as 
capable  as  I  am  of  making  a  correct  judgment. 
One  further  fact,  that  has  greatly  interested 
Dr.  Clarkson,  may  also  appeal  to  the  sympa- 
thies of  those  who  have  taken  the  trouble  to 
hereby  acquaint  themselves  with  the  dream  city 
of  Tone.  Although  I  am  now  in  perfect  health, 
and  happy  in  the  active  exercise  of  all  my 
faculties,  I  have  been  accustomed,  ever  since  my 
recovery,  to  spend  all  my  sleeping  hours  in  that 


THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON.  301 

same  dream  city,  and  among  the  same  familiar 
scenes  and  faces,  that  I  have  here  described.  I 
consequently  continue  to  lead  two  lives  that  are 
perfectly  distinct ;  and  in  whichever  city  I  find 
myself  at  the  moment,  whether  Boston  or  Tone, 
that  seems  the  real  and  the  other  the  dream 
city.  In  spite  of  Dr.  Clarkson's  confident 
assurances  to  the  contrary,  I  sometimes  enter- 
tain a  suspicion  —  it  can  hardly  be  called  a  fear, 
for  it  is  not  unpleasant  —  that  the  dual  life  I 
now  lead  may  some  day  again  melt  into  one,  and 
that  one  the  world  of  fancy.  Mary  always 
hastens  to  change  the  subject  when  I  allude  to  it ; 
but  sometimes  I  cannot  help  whispering  to  myself 
that  it  may  be  a  boon  vouchsafed  to  me 
that,  if  entire  mental  rest  should  again  become 
requisite,  I  may  once  more  be  permitted  to 
spend  some  of  my  waking  as  well  as  sleeping 
hours  amid  the  placid  scenes  of  beauty  and  har- 
mony that  constitute  Tone,  the  City  of  Truth, 
—  my  veritable  heaven  on  earth.  What  then  ? 
Life  has  many  experiences  that  are  less  to  be 
desired ;  and  what  city  of  the  after-life  Death 
holds  in  his  sacred  keeping,  I  know  not.  Per- 
chance —  who  shall  say  nay  ?  —  each  one  of  us 
is  now  building  his  own,  even  as  I  have  build ed 
Tone. 

Well,   well !   if  so  it  should  be,  and  if  the 
society  of  my  family  should  again  be  denied  me. 


302  THE   CRYSTAL  BUTTON. 

I  only  hope  that  faithful  Smudge  may  once 
more  bear  me  company.  His  head  rests  on  my 
knee  as  I  now  write,  and  the  intelligent  and 
affectionate  look  he  gives  me  seems  an  unspoken 
promise  that  this  wish  shall  be  gratified,  if  it 
depends  on  efforts  of  which  he  is  capable. 

Paul  Prognosis. 

Boston,  Mass.,  February  9,  1878. 


aiTorfi^  of  ifictioiT* 


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n 


OTorfes;  of  ifittion 


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OTorfe0  of  Sfittion 


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OTorfe^  of  ifiction  ii 

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OTlorfeg  of  jrtction  13 

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OTorfe0  of  jTicticn  15 


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1 6  OTorbs;  of  S[ittion 

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OTorhsi  of  j?iction  i7 


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OTorfe0  of  jfiction  19 

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OT[orfe0  of  i?ictiou  21 

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22  OTorfe0  of  j?iction 

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OTorfe0  of  j?tction  23 


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24  Mlorfe0  of  ^ittion 


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OTorfe0  of  Sfittion  25 

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OTorfeg  of  jFiction  27 

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28  Motfesf  of  jriction 

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Morfe0  of  fiction  29 

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Complete  Works.     Illustrated  Library  Edi- 


Wiox^s  of  i?tctton  31 

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32  OTorfefif  of  jfittion 

1.  The  Story  of  Margaret  Kent.      By  Ellen  Olney 

Kirk. 

2.  Guenn.     By  Blanche  Willis  Howard. 

4.  A  Reverend  Idol.     A  Massachusetts  Coast  Ro- 

mance. 

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6.  The  Prelate,     A  Roman  Story.     By  Isaac  Hen- 

derson. 

7.  Eleanor  Maitland.     By  Clara  Erskine  Clement. 

8.  The   House  of  the  Musician.      By  Virginia  W. 

Johnson. 

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rence. 
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Grant. 

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17.  Patty's  Perversities.     By  Arlo  Bates. 

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19.  Miss  Ludington's  Sister.     By  Edward  Bellamy. 

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Harris. 

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27.  A  Fearful  Responsibility.     By  W.  D.  Howells. 

28.  Homoselle.     By  Mary  S.  Tiernan. 

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31.  Indian  Summer.     By  W.  D.  Howells. 

32.  The  Led-Horse  Claim.     By  Mary  Hallock  Foote, 

33.  Len  Gansett.     By  Opie  P.  Read. 

34.  Next  Door.     By  Clara  Louise  Burnham. 


Morfeg  of  jrtction  33 

35.  The  Minister's  Charge.     By  W.  D.  Howells. 

36.  Sons  and  Daughters.     By  Ellen  Olney  Kirk. 
yj.  Agnes  Surriage.     By  Edwin  Lassetter  Bynner. 

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Foote. 

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56.  Dust.     By  Julian  Hawthorne. 

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Jamison. 
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34  OToi1?0  of  iftction 

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Barrett  Wendell. 

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The  Duchess  Emilia.  i6mo,  $1.00;  paper, 
50  cents. 

One  of  the  most  striking  features  of  this  romance  of  metempsy- 
chosis is  the  delicate  poetic  feeling  with  whicli  he  has  invested  it. 
—  Springfield  Republican. 


OTortfi  of  i?iction  35 

Richard  Grant  White. 

The  Fate  of  Mansfield  Humphreys,  with  the 
Episode  of  Mr.  Washington  Adams  in  England.  i6mo, 
$1.2$  ;  paper,  50  cents. 

Bright,  full  of  character,  a  little  satirical,  and  thoroughly  amus- 
ing. —  Christian  Advocate  (New  York). 

Mrs.  A.  D,  T,  Whitney. 

Ascutney  Street.     i2mo,  $1.50. 

Faith  Gartney's  Girlhood.    Illustrated.    i2mo, 

$1.50. 

Hitherto.      i2mo,  $1.50. 

Patience  Strong's  Outings.      i2mo,  $1.50. 

The  Gayworthys.      i2mo,  $1.50. 

A    Summer   in    Leslie    Goldthwaite's    Life. 

Illustrated.     i2mo,  $1.50. 

We  Girls.     Illustrated.      i2mo,  $1.50. 

Real  Folks.     Illustrated.      i2mo,  ^1.50. 

The  Other  Girls.     Illustrated.      i2mo,  $i.5a 

Sights  and  Insights.     2  vols.  i2mo,  ^3.00. 

Odd  or  Even.?     i2mo,  ^1.50. 

Bonnyborough.      i2mo,  ^1.50. 

Homespun  Yarns.     Stories.     I2mo,  ^1.50. 

John  Greenleaf  Whittier. 

Margaret  Smith's  Journal, Tales,  and  Sketches. 
Riverside  Edition.     Crown  8vo,  $1.50. 

Kate  Douglas  Wiggin.    . 
Timothy's  Quest. 


36  OTorbsf  of  jFtction 

The  Birds'  Christmas  Carol.     With  Illustra- 
tions.    Square  i6mo,  boards,  50  cents. 

The  only  fault  of  this  charming  little  book  is  that  there  is  not 

enough  of  it.  —  New  Haven  Palladium. 

The    Story   of    Patsy.      Illustrated.      Square 
i6mo,  boards,  60  cents. 

A  Summer  in  a  Canon.     Illustrated.     Crowrk 

8vo,  $1.50. 

Justin  Winsor. 

Was   Shakespeare   Shapleigh }     i6mo,  rubri- 
cated parchment-paper  covers,  75  cents. 

Orlando  Witherspoon. 

Doctor  Ben.      i6mo,  $1.00;  paper,  50  cents. 

Celia  Parker  Woolley. 

Rachel  Armstrong ;  or.  Love  and  Theology. 

i2mo,  $1.50;  paper,  50  cents. 

A  Girl  Graduate.     l2mo,  ^1.50. 

A.  H.  Wratislaw  (translator). 

Sixty  Folk-Tales.     From  exclusively  Slavonic 
Sources.     Crown  8vo,  gilt  top,  ;?2.oo. 

Lillie  Chace  Wyman. 

Poverty  Grass.     Short  Stories.     i6mo,  $1.25. 

"  Poverty  Grass  "  is  much  more  than  a  story  book  :  it  is  a  moral 
deed.  Let  those  who  think  our  social  system  perfect  pause  and 
read.  —  Boston  Beacon. 


*.**  For  sale  by  all  Booksellers.     Sent,  post-paid,  on  receipt  of 
price  by  the  Publishers, 

Houghton,  Mifflin  &  Company^ 

4.  Park  Street,  Boston  ;  11  East  lyth  Street,  New  York. 


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